kubernetes-specialist
Use when deploying or managing Kubernetes workloads. Invoke to create deployment manifests, configure pod security policies, set up service accounts, define network isolation rules, debug pod crashes, analyze resource limits, inspect container logs, or right-size workloads. Use for Helm charts, RBAC policies, NetworkPolicies, storage configuration, performance optimization, GitOps pipelines, and multi-cluster management.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/jeffallan/claude-skills --skill kubernetes-specialist- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads kubernetes-specialist automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
Security audits
Independent scans of the skill's instructions and bundled files.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
Kubernetes Specialist
When to Use This Skill
- Deploying workloads (Deployments, StatefulSets, DaemonSets, Jobs)
- Configuring networking (Services, Ingress, NetworkPolicies)
- Managing configuration (ConfigMaps, Secrets, environment variables)
- Setting up persistent storage (PV, PVC, StorageClasses)
- Creating Helm charts for application packaging
- Troubleshooting cluster and workload issues
- Implementing security best practices
Core Workflow
- Analyze requirements — Understand workload characteristics, scaling needs, security requirements
- Design architecture — Choose workload types, networking patterns, storage solutions
- Implement manifests — Create declarative YAML with proper resource limits, health checks
- Secure — Apply RBAC, NetworkPolicies, Pod Security Standards, least privilege
- Validate — Run
kubectl rollout status,kubectl get pods -w, andkubectl describe pod <name>to confirm health; roll back withkubectl rollout undoif needed
Reference Guide
Load detailed guidance based on context:
| Topic | Reference | Load When |
|---|---|---|
| Workloads | references/workloads.md | Deployments, StatefulSets, DaemonSets, Jobs, CronJobs |
| Networking | references/networking.md | Services, Ingress, NetworkPolicies, DNS |
| Configuration | references/configuration.md | ConfigMaps, Secrets, environment variables |
| Storage | references/storage.md | PV, PVC, StorageClasses, CSI drivers |
| Helm Charts | references/helm-charts.md | Chart structure, values, templates, hooks, testing, repositories |
| Troubleshooting | references/troubleshooting.md | kubectl debug, logs, events, common issues |
| Custom Operators | references/custom-operators.md | CRD, Operator SDK, controller-runtime, reconciliation |
| Service Mesh | references/service-mesh.md | Istio, Linkerd, traffic management, mTLS, canary |
| GitOps | references/gitops.md | ArgoCD, Flux, progressive delivery, sealed secrets |
| Cost Optimization | references/cost-optimization.md | VPA, HPA tuning, spot instances, quotas, right-sizing |
| Multi-Cluster | references/multi-cluster.md | Cluster API, federation, cross-cluster networking, DR |
Constraints
MUST DO
- Use declarative YAML manifests (avoid imperative kubectl commands)
- Set resource requests and limits on all containers
- Include liveness and readiness probes
- Use secrets for sensitive data (never hardcode credentials)
- Apply least privilege RBAC permissions
- Implement NetworkPolicies for network segmentation
- Use namespaces for logical isolation
- Label resources consistently for organization
- Document configuration decisions in annotations
MUST NOT DO
- Deploy to production without resource limits
- Store secrets in ConfigMaps or as plain environment variables
- Use default ServiceAccount for application pods
- Allow unrestricted network access (default allow-all)
- Run containers as root without justification
- Skip health checks (liveness/readiness probes)
- Use latest tag for production images
- Expose unnecessary ports or services
Common YAML Patterns
Deployment with resource limits, probes, and security context
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
name: my-app
namespace: my-namespace
labels:
app: my-app
version: "1.2.3"
spec:
replicas: 3
selector:
matchLabels:
app: my-app
template:
metadata:
labels:
app: my-app
version: "1.2.3"
spec:
serviceAccountName: my-app-sa # never use default SA
securityContext:
runAsNonRoot: true
runAsUser: 1000
fsGroup: 2000
containers:
- name: my-app
image: my-registry/my-app:1.2.3 # never use latest
ports:
- containerPort: 8080
resources:
requests:
cpu: "100m"
memory: "128Mi"
limits:
cpu: "500m"
memory: "512Mi"
livenessProbe:
httpGet:
path: /healthz
port: 8080
initialDelaySeconds: 15
periodSeconds: 20
readinessProbe:
httpGet:
path: /ready
port: 8080
initialDelaySeconds: 5
periodSeconds: 10
securityContext:
allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
capabilities:
drop: ["ALL"]
envFrom:
- secretRef:
name: my-app-secret # pull credentials from Secret, not ConfigMap
Minimal RBAC (least privilege)
apiVersion: v1
kind: ServiceAccount
metadata:
name: my-app-sa
namespace: my-namespace
---
apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1
kind: Role
metadata:
name: my-app-role
namespace: my-namespace
rules:
- apiGroups: [""]
resources: ["configmaps"]
verbs: ["get", "list"] # grant only what is needed
---
apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1
kind: RoleBinding
metadata:
name: my-app-rolebinding
namespace: my-namespace
subjects:
- kind: ServiceAccount
name: my-app-sa
namespace: my-namespace
roleRef:
kind: Role
name: my-app-role
apiGroup: rbac.authorization.k8s.io
NetworkPolicy (default-deny + explicit allow)
# Deny all ingress and egress by default
apiVersion: networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: NetworkPolicy
metadata:
name: default-deny-all
namespace: my-namespace
spec:
podSelector: {}
policyTypes: ["Ingress", "Egress"]
---
# Allow only specific traffic
apiVersion: networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: NetworkPolicy
metadata:
name: allow-my-app
namespace: my-namespace
spec:
podSelector:
matchLabels:
app: my-app
policyTypes: ["Ingress"]
ingress:
- from:
- podSelector:
matchLabels:
app: frontend
ports:
- protocol: TCP
port: 8080
Validation Commands
After deploying, verify health and security posture:
# Watch rollout complete
kubectl rollout status deployment/my-app -n my-namespace
# Stream pod events to catch crash loops or image pull errors
kubectl get pods -n my-namespace -w
# Inspect a specific pod for failures
kubectl describe pod <pod-name> -n my-namespace
# Check container logs
kubectl logs <pod-name> -n my-namespace --previous # use --previous for crashed containers
# Verify resource usage vs. limits
kubectl top pods -n my-namespace
# Audit RBAC permissions for a service account
kubectl auth can-i --list --as=system:serviceaccount:my-namespace:my-app-sa
# Roll back a failed deployment
kubectl rollout undo deployment/my-app -n my-namespace
Output Templates
When implementing Kubernetes resources, provide:
- Complete YAML manifests with proper structure
- RBAC configuration if needed (ServiceAccount, Role, RoleBinding)
- NetworkPolicy for network isolation
- Brief explanation of design decisions and security considerations
Maintained by @jeffallan, Principal Consultant at Synergetic Solutions
FAQ
What does the kubernetes-specialist skill do?
Use when deploying or managing Kubernetes workloads. Invoke to create deployment manifests, configure pod security policies, set up service accounts, define network isolation rules, debug pod crashes, analyze resource limits, inspect container logs, or right-size workloads. Use for Helm charts, RBAC policies, NetworkPolicies, storage configuration, performance optimization, GitOps pipelines, and multi-cluster management.
How do I install kubernetes-specialist?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/jeffallan/claude-skills --skill kubernetes-specialist in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/kubernetes-specialist/ (personal) or .claude/skills/kubernetes-specialist/ (project).
Which AI agents can use kubernetes-specialist?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is kubernetes-specialist safe to install?
Security partners have reviewed it: Gen Agent Trust Hub flagged risks; Socket flagged items to review; Snyk passed; Runlayer flagged risks; ZeroLeaks passed. As with any skill, read the SKILL.md and bundled scripts before installing.
Who maintains kubernetes-specialist?
It is published by jeffallan in jeffallan/claude-skills. It has 14,144 recorded installs.
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