kubectx is a utility to manage and switch between kubectl contexts easily. It provides a faster way to switch between clusters and contexts than using kubectl config use-context.
Basic Usage List All Contexts Display all available Kubernetes contexts from your kubeconfig:
Example output: minikube gke_project_us-central1_cluster-1 arn:aws:eks:us-west-2:123456789012:cluster/production
The current context is highlighted with a different color.
Switch to a Context Switch to a specific context by name:
Switch context
Output: Switched to context "minikube".
Verify the switch
kubectl config current-context
Output: Switch to Previous Context Quickly switch back to the previous context using the - shorthand:
Example: # Currently on 'production' kubectx staging # Switched to context "staging". kubectx - # Switched to context "production".
The - shorthand works like cd - in bash, allowing you to quickly toggle between two contexts.
Context Management Show Current Context Display the currently active context:
kubectx -c # or kubectx --current
Output: Rename a Context Rename an existing context using the NEW_NAME=OLD_NAME syntax:
kubectx < new-nam e > = < old-nam e >
Rename specific context
Rename current context
kubectx prod=gke_project_us-central1_production
The . represents the current context. Using new-name=. renames whatever context is currently active.
Example output: Context gke_project_us-central1_production renamed to prod.
If the new context name already exists, kubectx will overwrite it with a warning:
context "prod" exists, overwriting it. Context gke_project_us-central1_production renamed to prod.
Unset Current Context Remove the current context preference from kubeconfig:
kubectx -u # or kubectx --unset
Output: Active context unset for kubectl.
After unsetting the context, kubectl commands will fail until you set a new context with kubectx <name>.
Delete Context(s) Delete one or more contexts from your kubeconfig:
kubectx -d < context-nam e > [<context-name>...]
Delete single context
Delete multiple contexts
Delete current context
Example output: Deleted context old-cluster.
If you delete the currently active context:
You deleted the current context. Use "kubectx" to select a new context. Deleted context production.
Deleting a context only removes the context entry from your kubeconfig. It does not delete the associated user or cluster entries.
Command Reference All Commands Command Description kubectxList all contexts kubectx <NAME>Switch to context NAME kubectx -Switch to previous context kubectx -c, --currentShow current context kubectx <NEW>=<OLD>Rename context OLD to NEW kubectx <NEW>=.Rename current context to NEW kubectx -u, --unsetUnset current context kubectx -d <NAME>...Delete context(s) NAME kubectx -h, --helpShow help message kubectx -V, --versionShow version
Using as kubectl Plugin kubectx can also be used as a kubectl plugin:
kubectl ctx kubectl ctx minikube kubectl ctx -
When installed as a kubectl plugin (as kubectl-ctx), all the same commands work with kubectl ctx instead of kubectx.
Practical Examples Switching Between Environments # List contexts to see what's available kubectx # Switch to development kubectx dev-cluster # Switched to context "dev-cluster". # Do some work, then switch to staging kubectx staging-cluster # Switched to context "staging-cluster". # Need to check something in dev again kubectx - # Switched to context "dev-cluster".
Organizing Context Names # Rename long AWS EKS context names kubectx dev=arn:aws:eks:us-west-2:123456789012:cluster/dev kubectx staging=arn:aws:eks:us-west-2:123456789012:cluster/staging kubectx prod=arn:aws:eks:us-west-2:123456789012:cluster/production # Now your context list is cleaner kubectx # dev # staging # prod
Cleanup Old Contexts # Remove multiple old clusters at once kubectx -d old-dev old-staging temp-test-cluster # Deleted context old-dev. # Deleted context old-staging. # Deleted context temp-test-cluster.
Next Steps
Interactive Mode Use fzf for interactive context selection
Shell Completion Set up shell autocompletion for faster workflows