kind vs Kubeli
kind
kind.sigs.k8s.io
Kubeli
kubeli.devSide by side
| Figure | kind | Kubeli |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Local Kubernetes Tools | 8.7 (#1) | 7.7 (#17) |
| Intended users | Project priorities include supporting Kubernetes testing, Kubernetes application testing, and providing bootstrap clusters for Cluster API developers and users. | Kubeli is presented for Kubernetes users who want a desktop interface, with IDE querying and corporate proxy support also described. |
| Purpose | kind runs local Kubernetes clusters using Docker container nodes and is designed primarily for Kubernetes testing, with local development and CI as other uses. | Kubeli is a native desktop app for managing Kubernetes clusters. |
| Support | The project directs users to its Kubernetes Slack #kind channel, GitHub issue tracker, and SIG-Testing mailing list for help and issues. | The site links to GitHub Discussions, feature requests, and bug reports for support. |
| Supported systems | The project states that kind supports Linux, macOS, and Windows. | The site lists macOS 10.15+, Windows 10/11, and Linux x64 downloads. |
Plans
In their own words
kind
kind runs local Kubernetes clusters with Docker container nodes, mainly for Kubernetes testing; local development and CI are also listed uses. It bootstraps cluster nodes with kubeadm and supports multi-node setups, including high availability. A configuration file can define worker and control-plane nodes, port mappings, and Kubernetes versions.
The tool can build Kubernetes release builds from source or use pre-published builds. It can detect Docker, Podman, or nerdctl as its container provider, including rootless providers subject to host and provider requirements. Users can load Docker images or an image archive into a cluster. Documentation covers ingress and Gateway API configuration with cloud-provider-kind, private registry workflows, and Kubernetes API audit logging.
Kubeli
Kubeli is a native desktop application for managing Kubernetes clusters on macOS, Windows, and Linux. It connects to multiple clusters simultaneously and supports one-click context switching. A topology view nests namespaces, deployments, and pods so cluster structure can be inspected graphically. Pod logs stream with search, timestamps, and error highlighting, and can be passed to a locally running AI assistant. Kubeli maps local ports to pods or services and can open forwarded ports in a browser. Its listed AI integrations include Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, and Droid. An included MCP server lets VS Code, Cursor, or Claude Code query cluster state. HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 proxy support addresses clusters behind corporate firewalls. The site lists macOS 10.15+, Windows 10/11, and Linux x64 downloads. Kubeli is free and MIT open source, requires no account or telemetry, and says it does not transfer information to other networked systems unless requested. Support is provided through GitHub Discussions, feature requests, and bug reports.