When something goes wrong in a Kubernetes cluster, knowing what tools to use and how to use them can significantly reduce downtime and speed up resolution. From command-line utilities to observability platforms, here are the top tools that help DevOps teams troubleshoot Kubernetes issues effectively.
1. kubectl
The primary command-line tool for interacting with Kubernetes. It allows you to:
- View and manage resources
- Inspect pod logs
- Execute commands inside containers
- Gather detailed resource descriptions
Essential commands include:
bash
kubectl get pods
kubectl describe pod <pod-name>
kubectl logs <pod-name>
kubectl exec -it <pod-name> -- /bin/bash
2. kubectl debug
This plugin enables you to attach ephemeral containers to running pods for real-time investigation:
- Debug broken applications from within the container’s environment
- Inspect filesystems or network settings
- Access pods without modifying the original container image
bash
kubectl debug -it <pod-name> --image=busybox
3. Kubernetes Dashboard
A web-based UI for your Kubernetes cluster:
- Visualizes workloads, services, and cluster health
- Lets you view logs, events, and resource usage
- Great for team members who prefer a graphical interface
Secure access often requires token-based login for RBAC-managed environments.
4. kubectl exec
Execute commands inside running containers:
bash
kubectl exec -it <pod-name> -- sh
Useful for checking configuration files, running diagnostic tools (like curl or ping), or debugging issues directly inside the container.
5. kubectl describe
Provides deep insights into a Kubernetes resource's status, events, and configurations:
bash
kubectl describe pod <pod-name>
- View container restart reasons
- Check for OOMKilled or CrashLoopBackOff statuses
- Review event logs
6. kubectl logs
Displays logs from individual pods or containers:
bash
kubectl logs <pod-name>
kubectl logs <pod-name> -c <container-name>
Vital for debugging runtime errors, crashes, and application-level issues.
7. kubectl port-forward
Forwards local ports to pod/container ports:
bash
kubectl port-forward pod/<pod-name> 8080:80
Lets you test services inside the cluster directly from your local machine. Ideal for debugging web apps or APIs without exposing services externally.
8. kubelet logs
The kubelet is the node-level agent that manages containers and communicates with the control plane. Checking kubelet logs helps identify:
- Pod scheduling issues
- Node connectivity problems
- Container runtime failures
Logs are usually located at:
bash
/var/log/kubelet.log
9. Kubernetes Events
Use kubectl get events to see:
- Resource creation and deletion
- Warning and error events
- Failures related to scheduling, health checks, or network policies
Helps you correlate issues with timestamps and triggers.
10. Prometheus & Grafana
The go-to combo for monitoring and observability:
- Prometheus scrapes metrics from the Kubernetes API and exporters
- Grafana visualizes those metrics in real-time dashboards
Use them to:
- Monitor pod and node performance
- Set alerts for high CPU/memory usage
- Analyze latency, request rates, and error codes
Conclusion
Whether you’re troubleshooting a crashing pod, unresponsive service, or intermittent network issue, Kubernetes offers a powerful ecosystem of tools to help you get to the root cause quickly. From basic kubectl commands to full-fledged observability with Prometheus and Grafana, knowing which tools to use—and when—is key to keeping your cluster healthy and applications running smoothly.