Krew is a package manager for kubectl plugins.
Krew solves the problem of discovering, installing, and managing kubectl plugins consistently across machines and platforms. Rather than requiring users to manually download and configure plugins, Krew provides a centralized package manager similar to apt, dnf, or brew. It maintains a curated index of available plugins and handles installation, updates, and lifecycle management automatically. For plugin developers, Krew simplifies packaging and distribution across multiple platforms while making their work discoverable to the broader kubectl user community.
Krew suits any Kubernetes operator or developer who extends kubectl with custom plugins. Users who want a streamlined way to discover and manage plugins without manual setup should adopt it. Plugin developers benefit from Krew's distribution infrastructure, which eliminates the need to maintain separate installation mechanisms for different operating systems. The tool is particularly valuable in environments where teams standardize on a common set of kubectl extensions.
The project maintains rapid responsiveness to issues and pull requests, with maintainers typically engaging within hours. Development activity centers on support requests, feature requests, and bug fixes, indicating an active focus on both user needs and incremental improvements to the tool.
