5 Kubernetes Dashboards for My Daily Success

Sometimes, you just need to see what's going on. Let's explore the best Kubernetes UIs out there.

Hello Everyone

Welcome to your AKVAverse, I’m Abhishek Veeramalla, aka the AKVAman, your guide through the chaos.

If you are anything like me, spending hours locked in the command line with kubectl can be so exhausting. Kubernetes is an incredible platform, no doubt in that, but managing it solely through commands sometimes feels like wrestling shadows. That's why I turned to the Kubernetes dashboard. And honestly, it changed the game for me.

Why do I use dashboards? Because they transform overwhelming complexity into something manageable. Instead of hunting through endless logs or juggling commands, I get real-time views of my clusters, can troubleshoot faster, and keep a steady finger on the pulse of all my workloads.

What makes a great Kubernetes dashboard? For me, it is a dashboard that is easy to use but still powerful. It should be easy to find what you need and work well, whether you manage one cluster or many. It should give useful information (metrics) about what’s happening in the clusters (logs) and be flexible enough to fit how I like to work.

Keeping that in mind, I use five Kubernetes dashboards that each offer something special and helpful.

Kubernetes Dashboard

This is the official UI from the Kubernetes project. I appreciate its simplicity and straightforward access to my cluster resources and logs. It is light, fast, and perfect for quick checkups on a single cluster. While it lacks multi cluster features, but it reliably handles the basic tasks without any trouble.

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Lens

Lens quickly became my favorite for managing multiple clusters at once. It feels like an Integrated Development Environment built for Kubernetes, providing real-time metrics and integrating well with Helm charts. If you work with different teams or environments, Lens helps you get more done by bringing everything together in one easy-to-use interface. It's the dashboard I use when I want a clear and detailed view of my clusters.

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Octant

Octant is my go to when I need detailed, real-time insights into how resources connect and depend on each other within a cluster. Running locally and connecting via kubeconfig, it’s invaluable for debugging and understanding complex deployments. I love how it reveals the underlying architecture visually sometimes just seeing dependency graphs helps me untangle problems way faster than scanning logs.

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Rancher

Rancher is a powerful tool for managing Kubernetes on a large scale. It acts as a central control system, making it easier to handle multiple clusters at once. Rancher includes strong security features like LDAP and OAuth authentication, which are very important for businesses. I use Rancher when I need to manage many clusters, apply rules, and keep everything organized without losing flexibility. It gives confidence that the environment is secure and well-managed, even as it grows bigger.

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Headlamp

Headlamp is a simple and flexible tool that I really like. You can use it as a web app or a desktop app. It lets me change the dashboard with plugins to fit what I need every day. It is good for managing many clusters in one spot while keeping things easy to use, and also great for people who want to adjust their tools as their work changes in their organisation

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A Thought to Leave You With

Choosing the right Kubernetes dashboard and learning to use it well can make a huge difference in how you manage your clusters. Take it one step at a time, stay curious, and give yourself space to explore. Each small improvement builds your confidence and helps you take control of your Kubernetes journey.

So start small, stay curious, and get hands-on.

Until next time, keep building, keep experimenting, and keep exploring your AKVAverse. 💙

Abhishek Veeramalla, aka the AKVAman