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KWOK (Kubernetes WithOut Kubelet) #

KWOK is pronounced as /kwɔk/.

KWOK is a toolkit that enables setting up a cluster of thousands of Nodes in seconds. Under the scene, all Nodes are simulated to behave like real ones, so the overall approach employs a pretty low resource footprint that you can easily play around on your laptop.

What is KWOK? #

KWOK stands for Kubernetes WithOut Kubelet. So far, it provides two tools:

  • kwok is the cornerstone of this project, responsible for simulating the lifecycle of fake nodes, pods, and other Kubernetes API resources.
  • kwokctl is a CLI tool designed to streamline the creation and management of clusters, with nodes simulated by kwok.

What’s the difference with kubemark #

kubemark is a kubelet that does not actually run a container. Its behavior is exactly the same as kubelet, which means that simulating a large number of nodes and pods requires a lot of memory.

kwok, however, simply simulates the behavior of the node. As a result, it can simulate a large number of nodes and pods using very little memory.

What’s the difference with kind #

kind runs Kubernetes in Docker, creating a real cluster.

kwokctl can be used as an alternative to kind in some scenarios where you don’t need to actually run any pod.

Why KWOK? #

  • Lightweight: You can simulate thousands of nodes on your laptop without significant consumption of CPU or memory resources. Currently, KWOK can reliably maintain 1k nodes and 100k pods easily.
  • Fast: You can create and delete clusters and nodes almost instantly, without waiting for boot or provisioning. Currently, KWOK can create 20 nodes or pods per second.
  • Compatibility: KWOK works with any tools or clients that are compliant with Kubernetes APIs, such as kubectl, helm, kui, etc.
  • Portability: KWOK has no specific hardware or software requirements. You can run it using pre-built images, once Docker/Podman/Nerdctl is installed. Alternatively, binaries are also available for all platforms and can be easily installed.
  • Flexibility: You can configure different node types, labels, taints, capacities, conditions, etc., and you can configure different pod behaviors, status, etc. to test different scenarios and edge cases.

Getting Started #

The animation below shows a test process to work with the latest version of kwok/kwokctl.

Welcome to get started with the installation, basic usage, custom configuration, and contribution to KWOK.

kwokctl Runtime and OS Support #

Runtime indicates which medium kwokctl will use to start the cluster

binarydockerpodmannerdctlkind
Linux🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢
Darwin🟠/🟢🟢🔵🔵🟢
Windows🟠/🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵

Community #

See our own contributor guide and the Kubernetes community page.

Getting Involved #

If you’re interested in participating in future discussions or development related to KWOK, there are several ways to get involved:

Code of conduct #

Participation in the Kubernetes community is governed by the Kubernetes Code of Conduct.