Kubernetes: How to install arkade

This guide will show you how to install arkade on Ubuntu. arkade was built initially by the OpenFaaS community to install OpenFaaS on Kubernetes. But, it now supports over 40 Helm Charts. Essentially, arkade makes it easy to install and manage Kubernetes apps.

About arkade

arkade (ark for short) is an open-source CLI for downloading and installing Helm Charts with a single command. It makes it easy to install Kubernetes apps such as OpenFaaS, PostgreSQL, cert-manager, MongoDB, and more. Also, at the time of writing, it has over 40 Helm Charts and apps available for Kubernetes. Helm Charts are great, but the sheer number of settings for Helm Charts can be confusing. arkade simplifies all of this, making it a breeze to add new apps to Kubernetes.

Let’s get started!

You can install arkade using the following command:

curl -sLS https://get.arkade.dev | sudo sh

In addition, you can verify your install using:

arkade --help

Install Kubernetes apps

You can install Kubernetes apps using the following command:

arkade install [command/flags]

For example:

  arkade install
  arkade install openfaas --gateways=2

The following command will show the available apps that you can install:

arkade install --help

Results:

Install Kubernetes apps from helm charts or YAML files using the "install"
command.

You can also find the post-install message for each app with the "info"
command.

Usage:
  arkade install [flags]
  arkade install [command]

Aliases:
  install, i

Examples:
  arkade install
  arkade install openfaas  --gateways=2
  arkade install inlets-operator --token-file $HOME/do-token

Available Commands:
  argocd                  Install argocd
  cassandra               Install cassandra
  cert-manager            Install cert-manager
  chart                   Install the specified helm chart
...
...

Get app info on Kubernetes

arkade is also helpful to get app info for apps installed on Kubernetes. For example, you require the commands below to get the login info for OpenFaaS.

PASSWORD=$(kubectl get secret -n openfaas basic-auth -o jsonpath="{.data.basic-auth-password}" | base64 --decode; echo)
echo -n $PASSWORD | faas-cli login --username admin --password-stdin

With arkade, you run:

arkade info openfaas

Results:

Info for app: openfaas
# Get the faas-cli
curl -SLsf https://cli.openfaas.com | sudo sh

# Forward the gateway to your machine
kubectl rollout status -n openfaas deploy/gateway
kubectl port-forward -n openfaas svc/gateway 8080:8080 &

# If basic auth is enabled, you can now log into your gateway:
PASSWORD=$(kubectl get secret -n openfaas basic-auth -o jsonpath="{.data.basic-auth-password}" | base64 --decode; echo)
echo -n $PASSWORD | faas-cli login --username admin --password-stdin

faas-cli store deploy figlet
faas-cli list

# For Raspberry Pi
faas-cli store list \
 --platform armhf

faas-cli store deploy figlet \
 --platform armhf

# Find out more at:
# https://github.com/openfaas/faas

Then execute the following command to get your OpenFaaS password:

echo $PASSWORD

Wrapping up

You now have arkade installed and can install your favorite Kubernetes apps. arkade will make the life of developers easy. It also gives helpful usage information.

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Source:

About Anto Online

Anto, a seasoned technologist with over two decades of experience, has traversed the tech landscape from Desktop Support Engineer to enterprise application consultant, specializing in AWS serverless technologies. He guides clients in leveraging serverless solutions while passionately exploring cutting-edge cloud concepts beyond his daily work. Anto's dedication to continuous learning, experimentation, and collaboration makes him a true inspiration, igniting others' interest in the transformative power of cloud computing.

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