> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://notes.kodekloud.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Job Setup Kubectl

> This guide explains how to add a dev-deploy stage in a GitLab CI pipeline to install kubectl and deploy Kubernetes manifests.

In this guide, we'll walk through adding a **dev-deploy** stage to your existing GitLab CI pipeline. This stage installs the `kubectl` CLI on an Alpine runner and deploys Kubernetes manifest files to your cluster.

## 1. Define Pipeline Stages

First, extend your `.gitlab-ci.yml` to include the new deploy stage alongside `test` and `containerization`:

```yaml theme={null}
stages:
  - test
  - containerization
  - dev-deploy

variables:
  DOCKER_USERNAME: siddharth67
  IMAGE_VERSION: $CI_PIPELINE_ID
```

| Stage              | Purpose                                              | Example Job      |
| ------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------- | ---------------- |
| `test`             | Run unit tests and code coverage                     | `unit_tests`     |
| `containerization` | Build and push Docker images                         | `build_image`    |
| `dev-deploy`       | Install `kubectl` and deploy manifests to Kubernetes | `k8s_dev_deploy` |

<Callout icon="lightbulb" color="#1CB2FE">
  Make sure the `DOCKER_USERNAME` and `IMAGE_VERSION` variables align with your project settings.
</Callout>

## 2. Create the `k8s_dev_deploy` Job

Add a job in the **dev-deploy** stage that uses Alpine 3.7, installs `kubectl`, and avoids pulling artifacts from earlier stages:

```yaml theme={null}
k8s_dev_deploy:
  stage: dev-deploy
  image:
    name: alpine:3.7
  dependencies: []
  before_script:
    # Download and install the latest stable kubectl binary
    - wget -qO- "https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/$(wget -qO- https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/stable.txt)/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl" -O kubectl
    - chmod +x kubectl
    - mv kubectl /usr/bin/kubectl
  script:
    - kubectl version -o yaml
```

## 3. Visualize the Pipeline

Once committed, your pipeline will include three stages—`test`, `containerization`, and `dev-deploy`. The diagram below shows how the new **dev-deploy** stage sits at the end of the workflow:

<Frame>
  ![The image shows a GitLab Pipeline Editor interface with a visual representation of a CI/CD pipeline, including stages like testing, containerization, and deployment. The pipeline includes steps such as unit testing, code coverage, docker build, and Kubernetes deployment.](https://kodekloud.com/kk-media/image/upload/v1752877211/notes-assets/images/GitLab-CICD-Architecting-Deploying-and-Optimizing-Pipelines-Job-Setup-Kubectl/gitlab-pipeline-editor-cicd-diagram.jpg)
</Frame>

### Speed Up Iterations

Since this deployment job doesn’t depend on artifacts from earlier stages, you can temporarily comment out other jobs (e.g., using Ctrl+/). This lets you focus solely on **dev-deploy** during development.

<Frame>
  ![The image shows a GitLab CI/CD pipeline interface for a project named "Solar System NodeJS Pipeline," indicating a failed job in the "dev-deploy" stage. The sidebar displays various project management options like issues, merge requests, and pipelines.](https://kodekloud.com/kk-media/image/upload/v1752877212/notes-assets/images/GitLab-CICD-Architecting-Deploying-and-Optimizing-Pipelines-Job-Setup-Kubectl/gitlab-ci-cd-solar-system-pipeline.jpg)
</Frame>

## 4. Troubleshoot the `kubectl version` Error

In the job logs, you’ll see the `kubectl` binary download successfully, but the `version` command fails to retrieve the server version:

```bash theme={null}
$ wget -qO- https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/$(wget -qO- https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/stable.txt)/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl -O kubectl
$ chmod +x kubectl
$ mv kubectl /usr/bin/kubectl
$ kubectl version -o yaml
clientVersion:
  buildDate: "2024-01-17T15:51:03Z"
  compiler: gc
  gitCommit: bc40b19f2782041b3fb39fcaf3a995c4de90d2
  gitTreeState: Clean
  gitVersion: v1.29.1
  major: "1"
  minor: "29"
  platform: linux/amd64
kustomizeVersion: v5.4.0-2023601165947-6ce0bf390ce3
ERROR: Job failed: exit code 1
```

<Callout icon="triangle-alert" color="#FF6B6B">
  This error indicates that `kubectl` cannot connect to a Kubernetes API server without a valid kubeconfig file. You must configure the kubeconfig before running any cluster operations.
</Callout>

## 5. Next Steps

1. Add your cluster credentials to a GitLab CI/CD variable (e.g., `KUBE_CONFIG`).
2. Write the kubeconfig file in a `before_script` step.
3. Re-run the pipeline to confirm that `kubectl version` returns both client and server information.

## References

* [Kubernetes Basics](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/overview/what-is-kubernetes/)
* [GitLab CI/CD Pipelines](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/pipelines/)
* [kubectl Installation Guide](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/tools/)

<CardGroup>
  <Card title="Watch Video" icon="video" cta="Learn more" href="https://learn.kodekloud.com/user/courses/gitlab-ci-cd-architecting-deploying-and-optimizing-pipelines/module/df17ec22-8cda-4af7-af44-10f9f061d4a8/lesson/e1de475f-2aae-4213-a4a9-32e8cc8c4069" />
</CardGroup>