kubestellar/console (kc-agent)

AI-powered multi-cluster Kubernetes dashboard with guided install missions for 250+ CNCF projects.
Contributing
Try it now (no install)
The fastest way to evaluate the console is the **hosted version** — no Kubernetes cluster, no install, no configuration. Demo data is built in:
> 👉 **console.kubestellar.io**
The hosted demo is a self-contained showcase: it serves canned demo data and intentionally **does not** talk to a local agent (LOCAL_AGENT_HTTP_URL is disabled in the Netlify build, so the browser cannot reach a kc-agent on your laptop). Use it to explore the UI, browse missions, and test cards without touching your machine. To work against your **own** clusters or use AI features with your own keys, you need to self-host the console — see the next section.
Which path do I need?
| I want to… | What to do | Need a cluster? | Need to install anything? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explore the UI / evaluate the product | console.kubestellar.io | no | no |
| Connect the console to **my own** clusters | **Self-host** the console **and** install **kc-agent** on the same machine | yes | yes (curl + kc-agent) |
| Self-host the console (air-gapped, custom OAuth, etc.) | **Local install** | optional | yes |
| Run the console **inside** a cluster | deploy.sh | yes | Helm-style script |
> **Note**: kc-agent is **not** consumed by the hosted demo at console.kubestellar.io. It bridges your **self-hosted** console (running at localhost:8080) to your kubeconfig contexts and to AI providers. If you want the convenience of the hosted UI plus your real cluster data, you currently have to run the console locally.
Extend with the Marketplace
KubeStellar Console can be extended with community dashboard content from the console-marketplace. The marketplace hosts dashboards, card presets, and themes for Kubernetes operations, AI/ML, security, GitOps, networking, and CNCF project integrations without adding custom code to the core console bundle.
- Browse community dashboards, card presets, and themes in kubestellar/console-marketplace
- Share your own dashboard cards or presets through the marketplace repository
- Start from the marketplace contribution guide when adding new community content
Local install (self-host)
The quickest path to a working console with your own data. start.sh downloads the pre-built console binary and a pre-built kc-agent, starts both, and opens http://localhost:8080:
Deploy into a cluster instead with deploy.sh (--openshift, --ingress , --github-oauth, --uninstall). See docs/deploy.md for the full flag, environment-variable, exit-code, and example reference. For Helm chart installs that should talk to an in-cluster Kagenti backend, see Connecting Kagenti and the Kagenti deployment guide for controller/agent topology, setup steps, and troubleshooting.
Development
If you want to work on the repo itself, start with these entry points:
- CLAUDE.md — canonical developer guide for repo structure, testing expectations, and agent rules
- CONTRIBUTING.md — contribution workflow, issue/PR conventions, and inventory notes
- docs/README.md — index of the documentation tree, grouped by audience
kc-agent (bridge self-hosted console to your clusters)
kc-agent is a small local HTTP/WS daemon that the **self-hosted** console talks to (default http://127.0.0.1:8585). It forwards requests from the browser to your kubeconfig contexts and to AI providers. The hosted demo at console.kubestellar.io cannot reach it (#6195) — kc-agent is only useful when you self-host.
**You do not need kc-agent** if you only want to browse the UI / demo data — just use the hosted demo. **start.sh already installs and launches a pre-built kc-agent for you**, so most users never need to install it manually. The instructions below are for development builds or platforms without a Homebrew formula: