# Krew

> Package manager for kubectl plugins: discover, install, and manage plugins from a central index, similar to apt, dnf, or brew.

Stars: 7.0k · Language: Go · License: Apache-2.0 · Categories: Dev Tools

- Repository: https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/krew
- Website: https://krew.sigs.k8s.io
- Page: https://www.trmn.sh/tools/krew

## Overview

Krew is a package manager for kubectl plugins. It lets users discover, install, and manage kubectl plugins on their machine, in a way similar to apt, dnf, or Homebrew. The README states that over 200 kubectl plugins are currently available through Krew, with a browsable list on the project website.

For kubectl users, Krew provides a consistent way to find, install, and manage plugins instead of fetching them by hand. For plugin developers, it helps package and distribute plugins across multiple platforms and makes them discoverable. Plugin installation and upgrade issues are tracked in the separate krew-index repository, while issues with Krew itself are filed in the main repository.

Krew is aimed at Kubernetes users, operators, and plugin authors who extend kubectl. Installation instructions, a Quickstart, a User Guide, and a Developer Guide are hosted at krew.sigs.k8s.io. The repository also includes contributor docs on the plugin lifecycle (how Krew installs and upgrades plugins and itself) and on releasing Krew. The project is maintained under Kubernetes SIG CLI.

## Alternatives

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- [reviewdog](https://www.trmn.sh/tools/reviewdog.md): Parses linter output and posts findings in changed lines as review comments on GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket, or filters lint results by diff locally. (Go, 9.7k stars)

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Canonical: https://www.trmn.sh/tools/krew