How to install kubectl on CentOS 9

kubectl is the essential command-line tool for managing Kubernetes clusters. Installing it on CentOS Stream 9 only takes a few steps using the official Kubernetes repository.

Step 1: Update System Packages

Start by updating your CentOS 9 server:

sudo dnf update -y

Step 2: Install Required Dependencies

Ensure your system can access HTTPS repositories:

sudo dnf install -y curl ca-certificates

Step 3: Add the Kubernetes Repository

Create the Kubernetes repo file:

sudo tee /etc/yum.repos.d/kubernetes.repo <<EOF
[kubernetes]
name=Kubernetes
baseurl=https://pkgs.k8s.io/core:/stable:/v1.30/rpm/
enabled=1
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=https://pkgs.k8s.io/core:/stable:/v1.30/rpm/repodata/repomd.xml.key
EOF

Update repo list:

sudo dnf makecache

Step 4: Install kubectl

Install the latest stable kubectl release:

sudo dnf install -y kubectl

Verify installation:

kubectl version --client

You should see something like:

Client Version: v1.30.x

Step 5: Enable Command Auto-Completion (Optional)

For Bash:

echo "source <(kubectl completion bash)" >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

For Zsh:

echo "source <(kubectl completion zsh)" >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

Step 6: Test kubectl (Optional)

If your kubeconfig is already set:

kubectl get nodes

If nodes appear, kubectl is fully connected.