How to connect to multiple Kubernetes clusters with the K8s Elixir library?

Use K8s.Conn.from_file/1 or K8s.Conn.from_service_account/1 to create connections, and manage multiple conn structs in your application. The library supports different authentication methods per cluster, as detailed in the connection guide.

K8s Elixir vs Kubernetes Go client: which is better for building operators?

K8s is ideal if you're already in the Elixir ecosystem and value its concurrency model, while the Go client offers broader community support and native Kubernetes tool integration. For Elixir-specific projects like Bonny operators, K8s is the natural choice.

Does K8s support Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs) in Elixir?

Yes, K8s includes full CRD support with autodiscovery at boot time, allowing you to interact with custom resources just like built-in ones without manual swagger file handling.

How to handle authentication for Kubernetes in Elixir using K8s?

K8s supports multiple authentication methods, such as service accounts, tokens, and certificates, via pluggable providers. Use K8s.Conn functions to load credentials from kubeconfig files or in-cluster service accounts.

What are the performance implications of using K8s for high-frequency API calls?

While macro-free design aids compilation speed, Elixir's BEAM VM may introduce overhead compared to compiled languages for very high-frequency calls. However, for typical operator or scheduler use, it's performant with async batch support.

Is K8s compatible with Kubernetes operator frameworks like Bonny?

Yes, K8s is designed to work seamlessly with Bonny for building Kubernetes operators in Elixir, providing the underlying client API for resource management and cluster interactions.

k8s — Elixir Kubernetes API Client

What is k8s?

K8s is a full-featured Kubernetes API client library for the Elixir programming language. It provides a robust and intuitive interface for interacting with Kubernetes clusters, enabling developers to build operators, schedulers, and other cloud-native tools directly in Elixir. The library automatically discovers Kubernetes resources, groups, and CRDs at boot time without requiring swagger files.

Target Audience

Elixir developers building cloud-native applications, Kubernetes operators, schedulers, or tools that require programmatic interaction with Kubernetes clusters. It is particularly suited for teams leveraging Elixir's concurrency and fault-tolerance features in Kubernetes environments.

Value Proposition

Developers choose K8s for its human-centric API design that prioritizes developer experience with an intuitive Elixir interface, while offering autodiscovery of Kubernetes resources, support for multiple clusters and authentication methods, and macro-free performance for fast compilation and startup.

Kubernetes API Client for Elixir

Use Cases

Best For

Building Kubernetes operators or schedulers in Elixir using frameworks like Bonny.
Developing custom cloud-native tools that require programmatic interaction with Kubernetes APIs from Elixir applications.
Managing multiple Kubernetes clusters with various authentication methods (e.g., service accounts, tokens, certificates) from a single codebase.
Automating Kubernetes resource management (e.g., creating, listing, getting deployments) with an Elixir-native interface.
Integrating Kubernetes API interactions with Elixir's telemetry for observability and monitoring.
Parsing and utilizing kubeconfig files to establish connections to Kubernetes clusters programmatically in Elixir.

Not Ideal For

Scripting or one-off automation tasks where using kubectl or Python scripts is more practical
Polyglot microservices teams that rely on consistent Kubernetes clients across multiple languages like Go or Java
Legacy Kubernetes clusters running versions older than 1.10, as compatibility is untested

Pros & Cons

Pros

Automatic Resource Discovery

Kubernetes resources, groups, and CRDs are autodiscovered at boot time without requiring swagger files, reducing manual configuration and errors.

Flexible Cluster Management

Supports connections to multiple clusters with various authentication methods, including service accounts and certificates, as shown in the connection examples.

Elixir-Native API Design

Prioritizes developer experience with an intuitive Elixir interface, making it seamless for Elixir developers to interact with Kubernetes APIs.

Performance Optimized

Macro-free design ensures fast compilation and startup times, beneficial for applications needing quick deployment cycles.

Cons

Niche Ecosystem Dependency

Ties projects to the Elixir ecosystem, which may not align with teams using other technologies or requiring broader tooling support beyond Elixir.

Limited Community Resources

Compared to Kubernetes clients in languages like Go or Python, the Elixir community has fewer pre-built integrations or extensive documentation, potentially increasing development time for custom needs.

Steeper Learning Curve for Non-Elixirists

Developers unfamiliar with Elixir or Mix may find setup and usage more complex than using kubectl or clients in more common languages, despite the human-centric API.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is k8s?

Target Audience

Value Proposition

Use Cases

Best For

Building Kubernetes operators or schedulers in Elixir using frameworks like Bonny.
Developing custom cloud-native tools that require programmatic interaction with Kubernetes APIs from Elixir applications.
Managing multiple Kubernetes clusters with various authentication methods (e.g., service accounts, tokens, certificates) from a single codebase.
Automating Kubernetes resource management (e.g., creating, listing, getting deployments) with an Elixir-native interface.
Integrating Kubernetes API interactions with Elixir's telemetry for observability and monitoring.
Parsing and utilizing kubeconfig files to establish connections to Kubernetes clusters programmatically in Elixir.

Not Ideal For

Scripting or one-off automation tasks where using kubectl or Python scripts is more practical
Polyglot microservices teams that rely on consistent Kubernetes clients across multiple languages like Go or Java
Legacy Kubernetes clusters running versions older than 1.10, as compatibility is untested

Pros & Cons

Pros

Automatic Resource Discovery

Kubernetes resources, groups, and CRDs are autodiscovered at boot time without requiring swagger files, reducing manual configuration and errors.

Flexible Cluster Management

Supports connections to multiple clusters with various authentication methods, including service accounts and certificates, as shown in the connection examples.

Elixir-Native API Design

Prioritizes developer experience with an intuitive Elixir interface, making it seamless for Elixir developers to interact with Kubernetes APIs.

Performance Optimized

Macro-free design ensures fast compilation and startup times, beneficial for applications needing quick deployment cycles.

Cons

Niche Ecosystem Dependency

Ties projects to the Elixir ecosystem, which may not align with teams using other technologies or requiring broader tooling support beyond Elixir.

Limited Community Resources

Steeper Learning Curve for Non-Elixirists

Developers unfamiliar with Elixir or Mix may find setup and usage more complex than using kubectl or clients in more common languages, despite the human-centric API.

Frequently Asked Questions

k8s

What is k8s?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

k8s

What is k8s?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?