⎈ Krew Plugin Usage

KubeSnapIt is available as a kubectl plugin via Krew for Linux and macOS users. This allows seamless integration with your existing Kubernetes workflow.

Before using KubeSnapIt, ensure you are connected to your Kubernetes cluster. Use the following command to check your active Kubernetes context:

kubectl config current-context

If no context is set, configure one before proceeding.

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📌 Parameters

Parameter	Description
--namespace	Specifies the namespace to snapshot or restore.
--all-namespaces	Captures/restores all namespaces. Overrides the --namespace parameter.
--all-nonsystem-namespaces	Captures all non-system namespaces, ignoring --namespace and --all-namespaces.
--output-path	Path to save snapshots.
--input-path	Path to restore snapshots from or for comparison.
--compare-path	Path to the second snapshot for comparison.
--labels	Filters objects using specified labels (e.g., app=nginx).
--objects	Comma-separated list of specific objects in kind/name format.
--dry-run	Simulates snapshotting/restoring without changes.
--restore	Restores resources from the specified snapshot path.
--compare-with-cluster	Compares a snapshot with the current cluster state.
--compare-snapshots	Compares two snapshots.
--force	Bypasses confirmation prompts when restoring snapshots.
--verbose	Displays detailed output during execution.
--snapshot-helm	Backup Helm releases including values, manifests, and history.
--snapshot-helm-used-values	Backup only the user-provided Helm values.
--restore-helm-snapshot	Restore a Helm release from a snapshot.
--help	Displays KubeSnapIt help information.

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📂 Taking a Snapshot

Capture a Namespace Snapshot

kubectl kubesnapit --namespace "your-namespace" --output-path "./snapshots"

This captures all resources within the specified namespace.

Capture All Namespaces

kubectl kubesnapit --all-namespaces --output-path "./snapshots"

This is useful for taking a full snapshot of your cluster.

Capture Non-System Namespaces

kubectl kubesnapit --all-nonsystem-namespaces --output-path "./snapshots"

This captures all namespaces except system namespaces like kube-system.

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⎈ Snapshotting Helm Releases

Helm releases can be backed up either fully or by storing only used values.

Capture Full Helm Snapshots

kubectl kubesnapit --snapshot-helm --namespace "my-namespace" --output-path "./helm-backups"

This captures:

• Helm release values
• Helm release manifests
• Helm release history

Capture Only Helm Used Values

kubectl kubesnapit --snapshot-helm-used-values --namespace "my-namespace" --output-path "./helm-backups"

This saves only user-provided Helm values.

Capture Both Helm Snapshots & Used Values

kubectl kubesnapit --snapshot-helm --snapshot-helm-used-values --namespace "my-namespace" --output-path "./helm-backups"

This ensures both full snapshots and values are stored.

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🔍 Comparing Snapshots

Compare Snapshot vs Cluster

kubectl kubesnapit --compare-with-cluster --input-path "./snapshots"

This command checks differences between your snapshot and the live cluster.

Compare Two Snapshots

kubectl kubesnapit --compare-snapshots --input-path "./snapshots/snapshot1" --compare-path "./snapshots/snapshot2"

Use this to track configuration changes over time.

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♻️ Restoring Snapshots

Restore a Snapshot

kubectl kubesnapit --restore --input-path "./snapshots/your_snapshot.yaml"

This applies the stored snapshot back to the cluster.

Force Restore Without Confirmation

kubectl kubesnapit --restore --input-path "./snapshots/your_snapshot.yaml" --force

The --force flag bypasses confirmation prompts.

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🏗️ Dry Run Mode

Simulate Snapshot Capture

kubectl kubesnapit --namespace "your-namespace" --output-path "./snapshots" --dry-run

This verifies the snapshot process without saving any files.

Simulate Restore Process

kubectl kubesnapit --restore --input-path "./snapshots/your_snapshot.yaml" --dry-run

This shows what would be restored without making changes.

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🔎 Detailed Logging & Debugging

For troubleshooting or auditing, use --verbose mode to get detailed logs.

kubectl kubesnapit --namespace "your-namespace" --output-path "./snapshots" --verbose

This provides a breakdown of every operation performed.

📌 For more details on logging, visit the Logging and Output page. 🚀