minikube(1)
minikube is a tool that runs a single-node Kubernetes cluster locally for development and testing.
Synopsis
minikube [COMMAND] [OPTIONS]Description
minikube starts a local Kubernetes cluster on your machine, simulating a multi-node environment on a single system. It supports multiple container runtimes (Docker, containerd, KVM) and hypervisors, making it ideal for developing and testing Kubernetes applications without cloud resources.
The cluster runs in a VM or container and includes kubectl integration, persistent volumes, and networking. minikube is commonly used for local development, CI/CD testing, and learning Kubernetes fundamentals.
Common options
| Flag | What it does |
|---|---|
start | Create and start a local Kubernetes cluster |
stop | Stop a running cluster without deleting it |
delete | Delete the local Kubernetes cluster and all data |
--driver=DRIVER | Specify container runtime (docker, kvm2, hyperkit, virtualbox, podman) |
--cpus=COUNT | Number of CPUs to allocate to the cluster (default: 2) |
--memory=SIZE | Amount of RAM to allocate, e.g., 2048mb, 2gb (default: 2gb) |
--kubernetes-version=VERSION | Kubernetes version to install (default: latest stable) |
dashboard | Open the Kubernetes dashboard in your browser |
logs | Show cluster logs for debugging |
--addons=LIST | Enable addons like ingress, metrics-server, dashboard |
Examples
Start a new local Kubernetes cluster with default settings (2 CPUs, 2GB RAM)
minikube startStart cluster using Docker driver with 4 CPUs and 4GB of memory
minikube start --driver=docker --cpus=4 --memory=4gbStart a cluster with a specific Kubernetes version
minikube start --kubernetes-version=v1.27.0Pause the running cluster (data is preserved; restart with 'minikube start')
minikube stopOpen the Kubernetes web dashboard in your default browser
minikube dashboardSSH into the minikube node for debugging
minikube sshEnable the Ingress addon to test ingress controllers
minikube addons enable ingressFully reset the cluster: delete old one and start fresh
minikube delete && minikube start