Skip to content

Quickstart

This quickstart explains how to authenticate and connect the CLI to a cluster.

Note: The CLI does not require additional installed dependencies such as kubectl.

Table of Contents

Select a Connection Method

Select the connection method that fits your setup:

  • Set KUBECONFIG to point at your kubeconfig.
  • Provide a proxy endpoint with the global --kube-proxy-url parameter.

Authenticate With KUBECONFIG

Use this method when your kubeconfig provides direct access to the cluster API. Set the environment variable and run the CLI normally:

export KUBECONFIG=/path/to/kubeconfig
cn <command>

If your kubeconfig requires Exec plugin authentication, this method may not be available in your environment because it can require interactive user authentication. Use the Kube Proxy URL option instead.

Authenticate With Kube Proxy URL

Use this method when your kubeconfig relies on an Exec plugin or when you want to connect through a kubectl proxy endpoint:

cn <command> --kube-proxy-url http://127.0.0.1:8001

The default value is http://127.0.0.1:8001. You can run kubectl proxy on a workstation where kubectl is installed and already authenticated, then forward the port over an SSH tunnel if needed.

Next Steps