The Kubernetes GUI
that doesn't slow
you down
Native Kubernetes IDE built with Rust.
80 MB memory. 1,500+ pods at 60fps. Multi-cluster diff.
Real terminal. Zero telemetry. Zero config — just point at your kubeconfig.
~80MB
Memory footprint
1,500+
Pods at 60fps
<1s
Cold start
0
Config needed
23
Resource types
The Electron Tax
Electron GUIs are
heavy on your Mac
Electron and web-based GUIs bundle browser runtimes that consume significant CPU and memory — especially noticeable during on-call when you need your machine most.
Krust is a single native macOS binary. Rust handles all Kubernetes API communication and data processing. Swift renders native AppKit/SwiftUI views. No web views, no JavaScript runtime, no garbage collector.
Activity Monitor: Krust uses ~91 MB managing a live cluster
Memory varies by cluster size and usage. Based on our testing with a mid-size cluster.
Production Scale
Your GUI freezes
when you need it most
Production incident. 800 pods. Web-based GUIs can stutter at this scale. Terminal tools like k9s are fast but lack visual context for complex debugging flows.
Krust's Rust core does all filtering and sorting with zero-copy snapshots. The UI only renders visible rows. Table updates take ~30ms. Real-time CPU/memory metrics overlay. Click-to-navigate inspector. Fast debugging flow from deployment to pod to logs.
Real Terminal
You still alt-tab
to the terminal
Not all Kubernetes GUIs include terminal exec. Some use web-based terminal widgets with limited clipboard and resize support. k9s has a terminal, but you lose the visual context of a GUI.
Krust embeds SwiftTerm, a real native terminal emulator. Full TTY, bidirectional I/O, proper resize, clipboard, and a local shell accessible from any view. Plus a built-in find bar for searching terminal output.
Log Streaming
Logs that keep up
with your services
Most Kubernetes log viewers struggle with high-volume output or lack features like multi-pod aggregation across a deployment.
Krust streams logs through a Rust-side ring buffer holding 100K lines. Full-text search completes in <15ms. Log level filtering, JSON compact mode with field discovery, regex support, and deployment-level aggregation across all pods. Built-in find bar with match navigation (Cmd+F) for instant search.
AI Diagnostics
Your AI copilot
for Kubernetes
Krust's AI agent calls Kubernetes APIs directly — it reads pod info, streams logs, checks events, and inspects YAML to diagnose issues. It proposes fixes in a diff editor you review before applying.
Persistent memory (SQLite + FTS5) means it remembers past incidents across sessions. Right-click any log line for instant AI analysis. Works with Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, Vertex AI, or local Ollama — bring your own API key, zero data leaves your machine.
Zero Telemetry
Your cluster data
isn't their business
Some Kubernetes tools collect telemetry, require cloud accounts, or send data to external servers. When you're managing production clusters, you want full control over what leaves your machine.
Krust talks to exactly one thing: your Kubernetes API server. No telemetry. No analytics. No cloud accounts. No AI that phones home. No upsell banners. Your kubeconfig stays on your machine, period.
Everything you need
Kubernetes management, built for production
Every feature designed for fast incident debugging. Click deployment → see pods → open logs. No loading spinners.
23 Resource Types
Pods, Deployments, StatefulSets, DaemonSets, Jobs, CronJobs, HPAs, Services, ConfigMaps, Secrets, Nodes, CRDs, CR instances, PVs, PVCs, StorageClasses, Roles, ClusterRoles, RoleBindings, ClusterRoleBindings, ServiceAccounts, PDBs.
Real-time Watchers
Every resource type uses Kubernetes watch API. Changes appear instantly without polling.
Native Terminal
SwiftTerm-powered exec sessions with full TTY support. Local shell accessible from any view. Tabbed multi-session.
Smart Log Viewer
100K line Rust buffer, JSON parsing, log level badges, regex filter, deployment-wide aggregation, Cmd+F find bar.
YAML Editor + Diff
STTextView-powered editor with line numbers, find bar, and Myers diff. Cross-cluster compare with colored unified diff.
Port Forwarding
One-click port forward for any workload type. Connection status tracking. Multiple concurrent forwards.
CPU & Memory Metrics
metrics-server integration. Pod-level and workload-aggregated CPU/memory. Graceful degradation.
Multi-Cluster
Switch contexts instantly or view multiple clusters side-by-side. Cross-cluster resource diff. Multi-namespace filtering.
Bulk Operations
Multi-select with Cmd+click. Batch delete, restart, scale. Context menus adapt to selection count.
Helm Management
List releases, view history, rollback, upgrade with preview, revision diff. No helm CLI required.
Events & Notifications
Global events timeline. Menu bar badge count. Native macOS notifications for CrashLoopBackOff, OOMKilled, and more.
Revision Diff
Compare any two revisions of Deployments, StatefulSets, or Helm releases.
AI Diagnostics
Built-in AI agent with tool-calling, persistent memory, diff editor for fixes. BYOK — Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, Vertex AI, or Ollama.
Head to head
Kubernetes GUI comparison: Krust vs Lens vs k9s vs Aptakube
| Krust | Lens | Aptakube | k9s | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | Rust + SwiftNative binary | ElectronBundled Chromium | TauriWebView + 5 procs | GoTerminal TUI |
| Memory | ~80 MB | 500 MB – 1.5 GB | ~500 MB+ | ~120 MB |
| Large clusters | 1,500+ @60fps | Can slow at scale | Moderate | Terminal limits |
| GUI | Native macOS | Web-based | Web-based | Terminal only |
| Multi-cluster | Side-by-sideWatchers + diff | Switch only | Simultaneous | Switch only |
| Terminal exec | Native TTYSwiftTerm + local shell | xterm.js | None | Built-in |
| Log viewer | 100K bufferMulti-pod, JSON, find bar | BasicExtensions available | Aggregated | BasicNo JSON parsing |
| YAML editing | Editor + diffCross-cluster compare | Editor | Editor + diff | $EDITOR |
| Resource diff | Cross-clusterAny 2 resources | No | Same cluster | No |
| Metrics | CPU + memoryPod & workload level | Via extensions | Built-in | Built-in |
| Port forward | All workloads | Pods only | Pods & services | Built-in |
| CRD browser | CRDs + instances | Via extensions | No | Built-in |
| AI assistant | Built-in11 tools + memory | No | No | No |
| Telemetry | None | Optional | None | None |
| Helm | FullList, rollback, upgrade, diff | Via extension | No | BasicRequires helm CLI |
| Events | Timeline + alertsNative macOS notifications | Basic list | No | Basic list |
| Price | FreePro $79 one-time | Free / $25/mo | From $12/mo | Free (OSS) |
| Platform | macOSWin & Linux April 2026 | macOS, Win, Linux | macOS, Win, Linux | macOS, Win, Linux |
Zero config
Install. Open. Done.
If kubectl works, Krust works. No sign-up, no cloud account, no cluster agents. 100% free.
Or download the DMG directly from GitHub Releases.
On Windows or Linux? Join the waitlist — launching April 2026.
Install
Homebrew cask or DMG. Single .app bundle. Under 30 MB on disk.
Launch
Reads your existing ~/.kube/config. All contexts available instantly.
Go
Real-time watchers connect automatically. Start debugging in seconds.
Coming April 2026
Windows & Linux
Same Rust core. Same performance. Native on every platform.
Get notified when your platform launches.
Pricing
Free. No catch.
Full-featured Kubernetes IDE for personal use. No sign-up, no trial limits, no credit card.
Pro unlocks commercial use & premium features for $79 one-time. See licensing details →
- ✓ Unlimited clusters & namespaces
- ✓ All 23+ resource types with real-time watchers
- ✓ Terminal exec & local shell (unlimited tabs)
- ✓ Pod log streaming with 100K buffer
- ✓ Helm management & revision rollback
- ✓ YAML editor with syntax highlighting
- ✓ Port forwarding & metrics
- ✓ CRD browsing & custom resources
- ✓ Events timeline & macOS notifications
- ✓ Command palette & keyboard navigation
- ✓ Everything in Free
- ✓ Commercial use license
- ✓ Cross-cluster resource diff
- ✓ Multi-pod log aggregation
- ✓ Structured log parsing (JSON, logfmt)
- ✓ Log export & bookmarks
- ✓ AI diagnostic agent (bring your own key)
- ✓ Priority email support
$39/yr optional renewal for new versions
- ✓ Everything in Pro
- ✓ License management dashboard
- ✓ Shared AI memory across team
- ✓ SSO (SAML / OIDC) at 10+ seats
- ✓ Priority support
Your next incident shouldn't be
a fight with your tooling
Krust focuses on what matters: getting you from alert to root cause, fast. Free to use. No sign-up. No cloud account. No telemetry.