K8Studio v3.1.8 is here.is here. Multi-window docking, AI Copilot, Visualizer, and SSO updates.See what changed

agentless · multi-cluster · AI Copilot · Visualizer · zero telemetry

The Kubernetes GUI.

No AgentsNo Data CollectionNo Surprises

K8Studio is a desktop Kubernetes IDE for DevOps, DevSecOps, and platform engineers. Connect via kubeconfig. Visualize your clusters with CloudMaps™. Debug with AI Copilot. Manage RBAC, Helm, logs, and multi-cluster workflows - with zero in-cluster footprint.

Available for macOS · Windows · Linux

No credit card. No agents installed in your cluster.

Explore features

One workspace, every view docked together

K8Studio pods table showing Kubernetes pod status, containers, CPU, memory, and security risk

Workloads

Find the pod that matters fast.

Scan pod health, containers, CPU, memory, restarts, and security state across namespaces.

No agent installed in your cluster. Ever.

Every other serious Kubernetes management platform - Komodor, Groundcover, Devtron, Lens Prism - requires you to install a DaemonSet, sidecar, or Operator into your cluster. That software runs persistently, holds cluster-level RBAC permissions, and sends data to the vendor's cloud.

K8Studio installs nothing. It connects to your Kubernetes API server via kubeconfig - exactly like kubectl - and all processing happens locally on your machine. No data leaves your cluster except through the standard API response. No vendor dependency at runtime. No compliance scope expansion.

This is not a feature we added. It's a foundational architecture decision that affects your security posture, compliance burden, and what happens when a vendor goes down.

Read: Agent-Free vs Agent-Based Kubernetes Tools →Air-Gapped Kubernetes →

Works with every Kubernetes distribution on any provider.

K8Studio connects via kubeconfig to any cluster: cloud-managed, self-hosted, or air-gapped. If kubectl can reach it, K8Studio can manage it.

AI assistance for Kubernetes

Copilot understands your Kubernetes context and uses K8Studio tools to help.

K8Studio Copilot is not a generic chat box. It is connected to the app context, can reason over selected resources, and can use K8Studio MCP tools to inspect, navigate, diagnose, and prepare reviewed Kubernetes changes.

Read the AI assistant guide See Copilot feature

Context-aware answers

Copilot can use the selected cluster, namespace, workload, YAML, events, logs, and visible K8Studio context.

MCP-powered actions

K8Studio MCP gives Copilot structured tools to open pages, inspect resources, analyze issues, and prepare changes.

Reviewed changes

Mutating actions go through K8Studio confirmation, RBAC checks, and server-side dry-run preflight before apply.

YAML and diagnostics

Ask for manifest reviews, rollout debugging, log analysis, resource explanations, and safer patch suggestions.

Choose the model that fits your environment

OpenAI

Use OpenAI models when you want strong general reasoning, Kubernetes troubleshooting, and fast hosted inference.

Claude

Use Anthropic Claude models for long-context analysis, careful explanations, and detailed operational reviews.

Ollama

Use local Ollama models when you want the assistant to run on your machine or inside a restricted environment.

Why engineers switch to K8Studio from Lens and K9s.

If you're coming from Lens: Lens went commercial and now phones home. K8Studio gives you the same desktop IDE experience - CloudMaps cluster visualization, RBAC management, Helm releases, multi-cluster support - with no subscription required for core features, no cloud agent, and no data sent anywhere. Your clusters stay yours.

If you're coming from K9s: K9s is fast and we respect it. But when you need to visualize pod-to-pod communication, debug network policies visually, or onboard a colleague who isn't a CLI expert, a GUI changes the game. K8Studio keeps the speed of keyboard-driven workflows while adding the clarity of a visual layer your whole team can use.

If you're in a regulated or air-gapped environment: Most Kubernetes tools break the moment you mention air-gapped. K8Studio Professional Airtight was designed for exactly this - government, defense, healthcare, and finance teams that can't have tools phoning home.

The toolbox

The tools your cluster deserves.

CloudMaps

K8Studio’s CloudMaps™ combines heatmaps, color coding, and relationship mapping to simplify Kubernetes observability and deliver intuitive cluster insights.

K8Studio: DevSec View for Kubernetes Security Insights

Visualize Kubernetes security with K8Studio’s DevSec View. Trace attack paths, find vulnerabilities, and focus on real entry points that matter most.

K8Studio DevSecOps Security Visualization

K8Studio: Security Dashboard for Kubernetes

A centralized hub for cluster security - search vulnerabilities, track entry points, and explore possible attack vectors across your Kubernetes environment.

K8Studio: Kubernetes Selection Overview Panel

View detailed info about any Kubernetes object in K8Studio, including metadata, status, resource limits, and network policies - all in one place.

K8Studio: Multi-Cluster Management for Kubernetes

Manage multiple Kubernetes clusters in one interface with K8Studio. Open, monitor, and troubleshoot clusters side by side for a seamless multicluster workflow.

K8Studio: Cluster Overview for Kubernetes Management

Monitor Kubernetes clusters in real time with K8Studio’s Cluster Overview. Track CPU, memory, and pod usage to ensure healthy, efficient performance.

K8Studio: Advanced Log Viewer for Kubernetes Debugging

Analyze and stream Kubernetes logs in real time with K8Studio. View multi-container and replica logs in one place for faster, color-coded debugging.

K8Studio AI Copilot: Smart Assistant for DevOps

K8Studio V3 includes an integrated AI Copilot that assists intelligently based on your selection and workspace context, from editing YAML to troubleshooting.

K8Studio: Grid View for Kubernetes Object Management

Explore Kubernetes objects in K8Studio’s interactive Grid View. Search, filter, and organize resources in real time for complete visibility and control.

K8Studio: YAML Editor for Kubernetes Configs

Edit and validate Kubernetes YAML files in K8Studio with syntax highlighting, AI-assisted fixes, and seamless cluster deployment.

Built for production Kubernetes

Why K8Studio stands out

K8Studio combines a Kubernetes GUI, visual topology, AI assistance, and secure multi-cluster workflows in a desktop app that keeps your data local.

CloudMaps

See the whole cluster at once

Map namespaces, pods, services, ingress paths, and live relationships in one visual workspace, so topology problems become visible before they become incidents.

Lists tell you what exists. CloudMaps shows how it connects.

AI Copilot

Debug with cluster context

Copilot reads the resource you are viewing, explains risky RBAC, broken YAML, failing pods, and odd resource limits with practical next steps.

Use OpenAI, Claude, Ollama, or your own MCP workflow.

Multi-cluster

One window for every cluster

Keep dev, staging, production, customer, and cloud-provider clusters isolated but instantly reachable, without juggling kubeconfig contexts.

Works with EKS, GKE, AKS, K3s, OpenShift, and local clusters.

0 agents

Nothing installed in the cluster

Live graph

Relationships stay mapped as objects change

Low API load

Smart watches reduce repeated Kubernetes calls

Fast for you. Lightweight for your cluster. Designed for the moment when production needs an answer, not another dashboard.

Enterprise cluster access

If your team can kubectl, they can K8Studio.

K8Studio follows your existing kubeconfig authentication flow - from simple certificates to enterprise SSO, AWS IAM, and OIDC providers. No shared passwords. No new IAM roles to create. No vendor credentials stored anywhere.

Already using OIDC, EKS exec, or kubelogin? K8Studio runs the same auth flow.

Read the SSO guide Security model

No shared cluster password required

Modern Kubernetes auth is usually short-lived and delegated. K8Studio should run the configured auth flow, show clear login states, and avoid hiding authentication failures.

OIDC / Enterprise SSO

Keycloak, Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace, and other OpenID Connect providers.

AWS IAM / EKS exec

EKS kubeconfigs that use aws eks get-token, including AWS IAM Identity Center sessions.

Azure / AKS kubelogin

AAD-backed AKS clusters using kubelogin and exec credential plugins.

GCP / GKE auth plugin

GKE clusters that use gke-gcloud-auth-plugin through kubeconfig exec auth.

Client certificate + key

Self-managed clusters and kubeadm kubeconfigs using certificate-based users.

Bearer and service account tokens

Token-based kubeconfigs for automation, CI/CD, and in-cluster service accounts.

Generic exec plugins

Any kubeconfig user that runs an external command to retrieve a short-lived token.

Proxy and local tunnels

kubectl proxy, local API tunnels, and private endpoints exposed through localhost.

New SSO guides cover Keycloak OIDC, AWS IAM Identity Center with EKS, Google Cloud SSO with GKE, and Microsoft Entra ID with AKS kubelogin.

Frequently Asked Questions

See all questions →

What is K8Studio?

K8Studio is a desktop Kubernetes GUI for DevOps, DevSecOps, and platform engineering teams. It connects to any Kubernetes cluster via kubeconfig and provides cluster visualization with CloudMaps™, AI-assisted troubleshooting, multi-cluster management, RBAC editing, Helm release management, log viewing, and security analysis - with nothing installed in your cluster. Available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.

Is K8Studio agent-free?

Yes. K8Studio is fully agent-free. It communicates with your cluster exclusively through the Kubernetes API - the same way `kubectl` does. No DaemonSet, sidecar, Operator, or CRD is installed in your cluster. All data is processed locally on your machine. Nothing is sent to K8Studio's servers.

Does K8Studio work in air-gapped or offline environments?

Yes. K8Studio works in any environment where you can reach the Kubernetes API server - including fully air-gapped networks with no internet access. The Professional Airtight plan ($187/yr) is designed specifically for government, defense, healthcare, and finance teams operating in restricted or classified networks.

How does K8Studio compare to Lens?

Both are desktop Kubernetes IDEs. Key differences: K8Studio is agent-free and does not phone home; Lens's commercial tier (Lens Prism) connects to a cloud backend. K8Studio includes a built-in RBAC manager, CloudMaps™ cluster visualization, and DevSec View security analysis. K8Studio's Basic plan starts at $9/month. K8Studio works fully offline; Lens's advanced features require cloud connectivity.

What is a good alternative to K9s with a GUI?

K8Studio is the most popular GUI alternative to K9s among engineers who want visual cluster management without giving up speed. It supports keyboard-driven workflows, multi-tab cluster navigation, and an integrated terminal - while adding CloudMaps™ visualization, a log viewer, AI Copilot, and RBAC management that K9s does not provide.

Is K8Studio free?

K8Studio offers a 15-day free trial with full Professional features - no credit card required. Paid plans start at $9/month (Basic) and $17/month (Professional). A yearly offline plan (Professional Airtight) is $187/year for air-gapped environments.

Start managing Kubernetes the way it should feel.

15-day free trial. Full Professional features. Nothing installed in your cluster. No credit card required.

Download K8Studio

Get started by downloading K8Studio. Follow the installation instructions to set up K8Studio on your preferred platform.Check our documentation

Connect your cluster in 60 seconds

Point K8Studio at your kubeconfig. No setup scripts, no agents, no permissions to grant.

Start your 15-day free trial

Maximize your Kubernetes management with K8Studio. If you want to use it professionally, get dedicated support - purchase a license to support our project today!