How to use the command minikube (with examples)

Minikube is a tool that allows users to run Kubernetes clusters locally. It provides a lightweight and easy-to-use solution for development, testing, and debugging Kubernetes applications. This article aims to illustrate various use cases of the minikube command.

Use case 1: Start the cluster

Code:

minikube start

Motivation: Starting the cluster is the first step when working with minikube. This command initializes a local Kubernetes cluster using a single-node virtual machine (VM). The cluster provides a platform to deploy and manage containers locally.

Explanation:

• minikube: This is the command to interact with the minikube tool.
• start: This argument starts the virtual machine and initializes the Kubernetes cluster.

Example output:

😄  minikube v1.24.0 on Darwin 11.6
✨  Automatically selected the docker driver. Other choices: hyperkit, virtualbox, ssh, podman, ssh+jumpcloud
👍  Starting control plane node minikube in cluster minikube
🔥  Creating docker container (CPUs=2, Memory=1984MB) ...
🐳  Preparing Kubernetes v1.22.3 on Docker 20.10.8 ...
🔎  Verifying Kubernetes components...
🌟  Enabled addons: storage-provisioner, default-storageclass
🏄  Done! kubectl is now configured to use "minikube" cluster and "default" namespace by default

Use case 2: Get the IP address of the cluster

Code:

minikube ip

Motivation: The IP address is required to access the running cluster and its services. This command provides a quick way to retrieve the IP address assigned to the minikube cluster.

Explanation:

• minikube: This is the command to interact with the minikube tool.
• ip: This argument retrieves the IP address of the running cluster.

Example output:

192.168.49.2

Use case 3: Access a service named my_service and get the URL

Code:

minikube service my_service --url

Motivation: When deploying a service in the minikube cluster, it is essential to access it through the assigned URL for testing and verification purposes. This command retrieves the URL of the specified service.

Explanation:

• minikube: This is the command to interact with the minikube tool.
• service: This argument followed by the service name allows accessing the service.
• my_service: This is the name of the service for which we want to get the URL.
• --url: This flag returns the URL of the service.

Example output:

http://192.168.49.2:30519

Use case 4: Open the Kubernetes dashboard in a browser

Code:

minikube dashboard

Motivation: The Kubernetes dashboard provides a visual interface to manage, monitor, and troubleshoot Kubernetes clusters. This command opens the Kubernetes dashboard in a web browser, allowing users to have a convenient graphical view of the cluster.

Explanation:

• minikube: This is the command to interact with the minikube tool.
• dashboard: This argument opens the Kubernetes dashboard.

Example output: The command will open the Kubernetes dashboard in a web browser.

Use case 5: Stop the running cluster

Code:

minikube stop

Motivation: When not actively working with the minikube cluster, stopping it can help conserve system resources. This command gracefully shuts down the running cluster and stops the virtual machine.

Explanation:

• minikube: This is the command to interact with the minikube tool.
• stop: This argument stops the running cluster.

Example output:

✋  Stopping node "minikube"  ...
🛑  Powering off "minikube" via SSH ...

Use case 6: Delete the cluster

Code:

minikube delete

Motivation: Deleting a cluster is useful when you no longer require the resources associated with the cluster. This command removes the virtual machine and all the Kubernetes components associated with the cluster.

Explanation:

• minikube: This is the command to interact with the minikube tool.
• delete: This argument deletes the running cluster.

Example output:

🔥  Deleting "minikube" in virtualbox ...
💔  The "minikube" cluster has been deleted.

Use case 7: Connect to LoadBalancer services

Code:

minikube tunnel

Motivation: LoadBalancer services are used to expose applications to external traffic in a Kubernetes cluster. However, when running locally, accessing LoadBalancer services can be challenging. This command creates a network tunnel to route external traffic to the LoadBalancer services running inside the cluster.

Explanation:

• minikube: This is the command to interact with the minikube tool.
• tunnel: This argument creates a network tunnel to connect to LoadBalancer services.

Example output:

Status: Connected

Conclusion:

Minikube is a powerful tool for running Kubernetes clusters locally. With the provided examples, users can start, manage, and interact with their clusters effectively. The minikube command offers a range of features and options to support development, testing, and debugging of Kubernetes applications.