# Install k0sctl with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, Nix, zypper, winget

Bootstrapping and management tool for k0s clusters. Version 0.32.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-29. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#k0sctl.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:k0sctl
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install k0sctl
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

- MacPorts (94%):

```sh
sudo port install k0sctl
```

  Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/k0sctl/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

### Linux

- apk (92%):

```sh
sudo apk add k0sctl
```

  Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: k0sctl from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#k0sctl
```

  Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/k0/k0sctl/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

- zypper (92%):

```sh
sudo zypper install k0sctl
```

  Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: k0sctl from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst

### Windows

- winget (92%):

```sh
winget install --id k0sproject.k0sctl -e
```

  Evidence: Windows Package Manager source index: k0sproject.k0sctl from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:k0sctl
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 0.32.2
- **Source summary:** Bootstrapping and management tool for k0s clusters
- **Homepage:** <https://github.com/k0sproject/k0sctl>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/k0sproject/k0sctl>
- **Last updated:** 2026-07-29T00:32:35Z
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- k0sctl (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 0.32.2
## Project history and usage

k0sctl is the companion command-line bootstrap and lifecycle tool for k0s Kubernetes clusters, using SSH and a YAML cluster definition to configure hosts and deploy k0s.

### Project history

k0sctl appeared with the k0s project after k0s began public releases in November 2020. Its early 2021 releases established the `k0sctl apply` workflow: describe hosts and desired cluster state in `k0sctl.yaml`, then let the tool connect over SSH and converge the cluster.

The k0s documentation positioned k0sctl as an automatic and repeatable way to create multi-node and production clusters, making it part of the official installation story rather than a third-party convenience script.

### Adoption history

Adoption follows k0s adoption: users who want a small Kubernetes distribution but do not want to hand-roll SSH loops, install commands, token exchange, and kubeconfig retrieval can use k0sctl as the repeatable wrapper.

### How it is used

The main workflow is `k0sctl apply`, pointed at a `k0sctl.yaml` file in the working directory or another path passed with `--config`. The tool gathers host state through SSH, installs k0s, joins nodes, and can generate kubeconfig output.

### Why package nerds care

k0sctl is a good example of a package-manager-friendly infrastructure binary: one statically distributed CLI, a declarative local YAML file, no daemon, and behavior that turns a cluster installation process into a repeatable command.

### Timeline

- 2020: k0s made its initial public release in November.
- 2021: k0sctl v0.4.0 was published in February.
- 2021: k0s documentation for v1.21.0+k0s.0 recommended k0sctl for production cluster installation and automatic upgrades.

### Related projects

- k0sctl is tightly coupled to k0s, and sits in the same broad Kubernetes bootstrap space as k3sup, kubeadm wrappers, and other SSH-driven cluster installers.

### Sources

- <https://docs.k0sproject.io/stable/k0sctl-install>
- <https://docs.k0sproject.io/v1.21.0%2Bk0s.0/k0sctl-install/>
- <https://github.com/k0sproject/k0s>
- <https://github.com/k0sproject/k0sctl>
- <https://github.com/k0sproject/k0sctl/releases/tag/v0.4.0>


## Security Notes

No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for k0sctl. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.



## Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.


## Configuration files

- Unix: k0sctl.yaml
## Other Package-Manager Records

- Nix - k0sctl: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/k0/k0sctl/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- apk - k0sctl - 0.32.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: k0sctl from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Bootstrapping and management tool for k0s clusters | https://github.com/k0sproject/k0sctl
- apk - k0sctl-bash-completion - 0.32.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: k0sctl-bash-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Bash completions for k0sctl | https://github.com/k0sproject/k0sctl
- apk - k0sctl-fish-completion - 0.32.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: k0sctl-fish-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Fish completions for k0sctl | https://github.com/k0sproject/k0sctl
- apk - k0sctl-zsh-completion - 0.32.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: k0sctl-zsh-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Zsh completions for k0sctl | https://github.com/k0sproject/k0sctl
- zypper - k0sctl - 0.32.2-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: k0sctl from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | A bootstrapping and management tool for k0s clusters | https://github.com/k0sproject/k0sctl
- zypper - k0sctl-bash-completion - 0.32.2-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: k0sctl-bash-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Bash Completion for k0sctl | https://github.com/k0sproject/k0sctl
- zypper - k0sctl-fish-completion - 0.32.2-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: k0sctl-fish-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Fish Completion for k0sctl | https://github.com/k0sproject/k0sctl
- zypper - k0sctl-zsh-completion - 0.32.2-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: k0sctl-zsh-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Zsh Completion for k0sctl | https://github.com/k0sproject/k0sctl
- MacPorts - k0sctl: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/k0sctl/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- winget - k0sproject.k0sctl: normalized package name match | Windows Package Manager source index: k0sproject.k0sctl from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix


## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/k0sctl.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/k0sctl.yml)


## Sources

- pkg.so package database
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation
- external package-manager database matches
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
