arkade is a command-line marketplace for installing developer tools and Kubernetes applications.
The tool solves the friction of setting up development environments by providing a single command to download and install CLI tools and Kubernetes apps. Rather than hunting through multiple README files and installation instructions, developers use arkade get to install individual CLIs like kubectl, kind, terraform, and jq, or arkade install to deploy Kubernetes applications like ingress-nginx, Postgres, and cert-manager. The tool abstracts away version management and platform-specific installation steps, handling downloads and configuration automatically.
Arkade suits developers who frequently set up new machines or Kubernetes clusters and want to avoid repetitive setup work. It works well in CI environments where you need to install tools during GitHub Actions workflows. The README distinguishes arkade from Helm by positioning arkade as a simpler, flag-based alternative that reduces the need to write or manage values.yaml files. The tool also supports system package installation via OCI images and provides utilities for managing Helm chart versions and verifying container images within charts. Developers should note that while arkade simplifies installation, the README indicates it is suitable for production use.
The project maintains a curated catalog spanning over two hundred CLI tools and dozens of Kubernetes applications, suggesting active curation of available packages. Development appears focused on expanding the marketplace catalog and improving the user experience around installation workflows, with community contributions welcomed for suggesting new apps.
