How to add mcp-k8s to Claude Desktop

Kubernetes MCP server: manage cluster resources and Helm releases through MCP tools, with fine-grained write controls. Paste the config into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json and restart Claude Desktop.

Last updated June 14, 2026 · 146★ · stdio · no auth

Claude Desktop config for mcp-k8s

go install github.com/silenceper/mcp-k8s/cmd/mcp-k8s@latest

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-k8s": {
      "command": "/path/to/mcp-k8s",
      "args": [
        "--kubeconfig",
        "/path/to/kubeconfig",
        "--enable-create",
        "--enable-delete",
        "--enable-update",
        "--enable-list",
        "--enable-helm-install",
        "--enable-helm-upgrade"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Setup steps

1Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config (this opens ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json).
2Paste the mcp-k8s config below under the top-level "mcpServers" key.
3Fill in any placeholder secrets (API keys, paths) in the snippet.
4Save the file, then fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop.
5Open a chat and confirm mcp-k8s's tools appear under the 🔌 tools menu.

Before you start

Access to a Kubernetes cluster
A kubeconfig file (uses the default config if --kubeconfig is not specified)
Go (only if building from source or using `go install`); otherwise a prebuilt binary or the Docker image
Helm v3 (for Helm-related tools)

What mcp-k8s can do in Claude Desktop

get_api_resources

Get all supported API resource types in the cluster (built-in resources and CRDs).

get_resource

Get detailed information about a specific resource.

list_resources

List all instances of a resource type, with filtering options.

create_resource

Create new resources. Disabled by default; enabled with --enable-create.

update_resource

Update existing resources. Disabled by default; enabled with --enable-update.

delete_resource

Delete resources. Disabled by default; enabled with --enable-delete.

list_helm_releases

List all Helm releases in the cluster.

get_helm_release

Get detailed information about a specific Helm release.

Security

Write operations are disabled by default and must be explicitly enabled via flags (--enable-create, --enable-update, --enable-delete, and the --enable-helm-* equivalents). Helm read operations are enabled by default while Helm write operations are disabled by default. The server validates all user inputs to prevent injection attacks and relies on Kubernetes RBAC to ensure the client has only the necessary permissions. In SSE/HTTP mode the server exposes an HTTP endpoint; deploy it on a remote server with caution.

mcp-k8s + Claude Desktop FAQ

Where is the Claude Desktop config file?

Claude Desktop reads MCP servers from ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. Paste the mcp-k8s config there under the "mcpServers" key and restart the client.

Is mcp-k8s safe to use with Claude Desktop?

How does mcp-k8s connect to my cluster?

It connects using a kubeconfig file. Pass --kubeconfig /path/to/kubeconfig, or omit it to use the default kubeconfig.

Are write operations safe by default?

Yes. Resource write operations (create/update/delete) and Helm write operations (install/upgrade/uninstall, repo add/remove) are all disabled by default and must be explicitly enabled with their respective --enable-* flags. Read and list operations are enabled by default.

What transport modes are supported?

stdio (default), SSE, and Streamable HTTP. Use --transport=sse or --transport=streamable-http along with --host/--port (and --endpoint-path for streamable-http) to run over HTTP.

View repo Full mcp-k8s page