How to switch kubectl clusters between gcloud and minikube

If you're looking for a GUI-based solution for Mac and have the Docker Desktop installed, you can use the Docker Menu Bar icon. Here you can find "Kubernetes" menu with all the contexts you have in your kubeconfig and easily switch between them.

You can switch from local (minikube) to gcloud and back with:

kubectl config use-context CONTEXT_NAME

to list all contexts:

kubectl config get-contexts

You can create different enviroments for local and gcloud and put it in separate yaml files.

List contexts

kubectl config get-contexts

Switch contexts

kubectl config set current-context MY-CONTEXT

A faster shortcut to the standard kubectl commands is to use kubectx:

• List contexts: kubectx
  • Equivalent to kubectl config get-contexts
• Switch context (to foo): kubectx foo
  • Equivalent to kubectl config use-context foo

To install on macOS: brew install kubectx

The kubectx package also includes a similar tool for switching namespaces called kubens.

These two are super convenient if you work in multiple contexts and namespaces regularly.

More info: https://ahmet.im/blog/kubectx/