--- layout: docs page_title: Consul K8s CLI Reference description: >- Consul K8s CLI is a tool for quickly installing and interacting with Consul on Kubernetes. --- # Consul K8s CLI Reference Consul K8s CLI is a tool for quickly installing and interacting with Consul on Kubernetes. The Consul K8s CLI allows you to manage the lifecycle of Consul without requiring the usage of `Helm`, [Consul CLI](/commands/index), and `kubectl`. The Consul K8s CLI offers a Kubernetes native experience for managing Consul. -> **Note**: For guidance on how to install the Consul K8s CLI, visit the [Installing the Consul K8s CLI](/docs/k8s/installation/install-cli) documentation page. This topic describes the subcommands and available options for using Consul K8s CLI. ## Usage Consul K8s CLI uses the following syntax: ```shell-session $ consul-k8s ``` ## Subcommands You can use the following subcommands with `consul-k8s`. - [install](#install) - [uninstall](#uninstall) - [status](#status) - [upgrade](#upgrade) BETA - [version](#version) ### `install` The `install` command installs Consul on Kubernetes. ```shell-session $ consul-k8s install ``` The following options are available. | Flag | Description | Default | Required | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- | -------- | | `-auto-approve`                                     | Boolean value that enables you to skip the installation confirmation prompt. | `false` | Optional | | `-dry-run` | Boolean value that validates the installation and returns a summary. | `false` | Optional | | `-config-file` | String value that specifies the path to a file containing custom installation configurations, e.g., Consul Helm chart values file.
You can use the `-config-file` flag multiple times to specify multiple files. | none | Optional | | `-namespace` | String value that specifies the namespace of the Consul installation. | `consul` | Optional | | `-preset` | String value that installs Consul based on a preset configuration. You can specify the following values:
`demo`: Installs a single replica server with sidecar injection enabled; useful for testing service mesh functionality.
`secure`: Installs a single replica server with sidecar injection, ACLs, and TLS enabled; useful for testing service mesh functionality. | Configuration of the Consul Helm chart. | Optional | | `-set` | String value that enables you to set a customizable value. This flag is comparable to the `helm install --set` flag.
You can use the `-set` flag multiple times to set multiple values.
Consul Helm chart values are supported. | none | Optional | | `-set-file` | String value that specifies the name of an arbitrary config file. This flag is comparable to the `helm install --set-file`
flag. The contents of the file will be used to set a customizable value. You can use the `-set-file` flag multiple times to specify multiple files.
Consul Helm chart values are supported. | none | Optional | | `-set-string` | String value that enables you to set a customizable string value. This flag is comparable to the `helm install --set-string`
flag. You can use the `-set-string` flag multiple times to specify multiple strings.
Consul Helm chart values are supported. | none | Optional | | `-timeout` | Specifies how long to wait for the installation process to complete before timing out. The value is specified with an integer and string value indicating a unit of time.
The following units are supported:
`ms` (milliseconds)
`s` (seconds)
`m` (minutes)
In the following example, installation will timeout after one minute:
`consul-k8s install -timeout 1m` | `10m` | Optional | | `-wait` | Boolean value that determines if Consul should wait for resources in the installation to be ready before exiting the command. | `true` | Optional | | `-verbose`, `-v` | Boolean value that specifies whether to output verbose logs from the install command with the status of resources being installed. | `false` | Optional | | `--help` | Prints usage information for this option. | none | Optional | See [Global Options](#global-options) for additional commands that you can use when installing Consul on Kubernetes. #### Example Commands The following example command installs Consul according in the `myNS` namespace according to the `secure` preset. ```shell-session $ consul-k8s install -preset=secure -namespace=myNS ``` The following example commands install Consul on Kubernetes using custom values, files, or strings that are set via flags. The underlying Consul-on-Kubernetes Helm chart uses the flags to customize the installation. The flags are comparable to the `helm install` [flags](https://helm.sh/docs/helm/helm_install/#helm-install). ```shell-session $ consul-k8s install -set key=value ``` ```shell-session $ consul-k8s install -set key1=value1 -set key2=value2 ``` ```shell-session $ consul-k8s install -set-file config1=value1.conf ``` ```shell-session $ consul-k8s install -set-file config1=value1.conf -set-file config2=value2.conf ``` ```shell-session $ consul-k8s install -set-string key=value-bool ``` ### `uninstall` The `uninstall` command removes Consul from Kubernetes. ```shell-session $ consul-k8s uninstall ``` The following options are available. | Flag | Description | Default | Required | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------- | | `-auto-approve`                                     | Boolean value that enables you to skip the removal confirmation prompt. | `false` | Optional | | `-name` | String value for the name of the installation to remove. | none | Optional | | `-namespace` | String value that specifies the namespace of the Consul installation to remove. | `consul` | Optional | | `-timeout` | Specifies how long to wait for the removal process to complete before timing out. The value is specified with an integer and string value indicating a unit of time.
The following units are supported:
`ms` (milliseconds)
`s` (seconds)
`m` (minutes)
`h` (hours)
In the following example, removal will timeout after one minute:
`consul-k8s uninstall -timeout 1m` | `10m` | Optional | | `-wipe-data` | Boolean value that deletes PVCs and secrets associated with the Consul installation during installation.
Data will be removed without a verification prompt if the `-auto-approve` flag is set to `true`. | `false`
Instructions for removing data will be printed to the console. | Optional | | `--help` | Prints usage information for this option. | none | Optional | See [Global Options](#global-options) for additional commands that you can use when uninstalling Consul from Kubernetes. #### Example Command The following example command immediately uninstalls Consul from the `my-ns` namespace with the name `my-consul` and removes PVCs and secrets associated with the installation without asking for verification: ```shell-session $ consul-k8s uninstall -namespace=my-ns -name=my-consul -wipe-data=true -auto-approve=true ``` ### `status` The `status` command provides an overall status summary of the Consul on Kubernetes installation. It also provides the config that was used to deploy Consul K8s and provides a quick glance at the health of both Consul servers and clients. This command does not take in any flags. ```shell-session $ consul-k8s status ``` #### Example Command ```shell-session $ consul-k8s status ==> Consul-K8s Status Summary NAME | NAMESPACE | STATUS | CHARTVERSION | APPVERSION | REVISION | LAST UPDATED ---------+-----------+----------+--------------+------------+----------+-------------------------- consul | consul | deployed | 0.41.1 | 1.11.4 | 1 | 2022/03/10 07:48:58 MST ==> Config: connectInject: enabled: true metrics: defaultEnableMerging: true defaultEnabled: true enableGatewayMetrics: true controller: enabled: true global: metrics: enableAgentMetrics: true enabled: true name: consul prometheus: enabled: true server: replicas: 1 ui: enabled: true service: enabled: true ✓ Consul servers healthy (1/1) ✓ Consul clients healthy (3/3) ``` ### `upgrade` -> The `consul-k8s upgrade` **subcommand is currently in beta**: This subcommand is not recommended for production environments. The `upgrade` command upgrades the Consul on Kubernetes components to the current version of the `consul-k8s` cli. Prior to running `consul-k8s upgrade`, the `consul-k8s` CLI should first be upgraded to the latest version as described [Upgrade the Consul K8s CLI](#upgrade-the-consul-k8s-cli) ```shell-session $ consul-k8s upgrade ``` The following options are available. | Flag | Description | Default | Required | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- | -------- | | `-auto-approve`                                     | Boolean value that enables you to skip the upgrade confirmation prompt. | `false` | Optional | | `-dry-run` | Boolean value that allows you to run pre-upgrade checks and returns a summary of the upgrade. | `false` | Optional | | `-config-file` | String value that specifies the path to a file containing custom upgrade configurations, e.g., Consul Helm chart values file.
You can use the `-config-file` flag multiple times to specify multiple files. | none | Optional | | `-namespace` | String value that specifies the namespace of the Consul installation. | `consul` | Optional | | `-preset` | String value that upgrades Consul based on a preset configuration. | Configuration of the Consul Helm chart. | Optional | | `-set` | String value that enables you to set a customizable value. This flag is comparable to the `helm upgrade --set` flag.
You can use the `-set` flag multiple times to set multiple values.
Consul Helm chart values are supported. | none | Optional | | `-set-file` | String value that specifies the name of an arbitrary config file. This flag is comparable to the `helm upgrade --set-file`
flag. The contents of the file will be used to set a customizable value. You can use the `-set-file` flag multiple times to specify multiple files.
Consul Helm chart values are supported. | none | Optional | | `-set-string` | String value that enables you to set a customizable string value. This flag is comparable to the `helm upgrade --set-string`
flag. You can use the `-set-string` flag multiple times to specify multiple strings.
Consul Helm chart values are supported. | none | Optional | | `-timeout` | Specifies how long to wait for the upgrade process to complete before timing out. The value is specified with an integer and string value indicating a unit of time.
The following units are supported:
`ms` (milliseconds)
`s` (seconds)
`m` (minutes)
In the following example, the upgrade will timeout after one minute:
`consul-k8s upgrade -timeout 1m` | `10m` | Optional | | `-wait` | Boolean value that determines if Consul should wait for resources in the upgrade to be ready before exiting the command. | `true` | Optional | | `-verbose`, `-v` | Boolean value that specifies whether to output verbose logs from the upgrade command with the status of resources being upgraded. | `false` | Optional | | `--help` | Prints usage information for this option. | none | Optional | See [Global Options](#global-options) for additional commands that you can use when installing Consul on Kubernetes. ### `version` The `version` command prints the Consul on Kubernetes version. This command does not take any options. ```shell-session $ consul-k8s version ``` You can also print the version with the `--version` flag. ```shell-session $ consul-k8s --version ``` ## Global Options The following global options are available. | Flag | Description | Default | Required | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- | -------- | | `-context`                   | String value that sets the Kubernetes context to use for Consul K8s CLI operations. | none | Optional | | `-kubeconfig`
Alias: `-c` | String value that specifies the path to the `kubeconfig` file.
| none | Optional |