Debugging with kubectl debug in Kubernetes - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the purpose of the kubectl debug command?

The kubectl debug command helps you create a temporary debugging container or pod to inspect and fix issues in your running Kubernetes pods without changing the original pod.

beginner

How does kubectl debug differ from kubectl exec?

kubectl exec runs commands inside an existing container, while kubectl debug can create a new debugging container or pod with extra tools to help investigate problems.

intermediate

How do you create an ephemeral container inside a running pod with kubectl debug?

Run kubectl debug <pod-name> --image=busybox --target=<container-name> without the --copy-to flag to add a temporary container inside a running pod for debugging.

intermediate

Why are ephemeral containers useful for debugging?

Ephemeral containers let you add debugging tools to a running pod without restarting or changing it, so you can inspect the pod's state safely and quickly.

beginner

What is a common use case for kubectl debug when a pod is stuck or not responding?

You can use kubectl debug to start a new pod with the same configuration or add an ephemeral container to inspect logs, network, or file system to find the cause of the problem.

What does kubectl debug pod-name --image=busybox do?

A Deletes the pod and creates a new one

B Adds a temporary container inside a running pod for debugging

C Executes a command inside the main container

D Scales the pod to zero replicas

It adds a temporary container inside the running pod to help with debugging.

Which command helps you create a new pod for debugging based on an existing pod's configuration?

A kubectl debug pod-name --copy-to=new-pod

B kubectl exec pod-name

C kubectl delete pod-name

D kubectl scale pod-name

The --copy-to option creates a new pod for debugging using the existing pod's setup.

Why might you prefer kubectl debug over restarting a pod to fix an issue?

A It automatically fixes the bug

B It deletes the pod faster

C It scales the pod to multiple replicas

D It allows inspection without stopping the pod

kubectl debug lets you inspect the pod live without restarting or interrupting it.

Which of these is NOT a feature of kubectl debug?

A Automatically fixing pod errors

B Creating a copy pod for debugging

C Running debugging tools inside pods

D Adding ephemeral containers

kubectl debug helps inspect and troubleshoot but does not automatically fix errors.

What is the first step to start debugging a pod with kubectl debug?

A Restart the Kubernetes cluster

B Delete the pod

C Identify the pod name you want to debug

D Scale the pod to zero

You need to know the pod name to target it for debugging.

Explain how kubectl debug helps troubleshoot a stuck pod.

Think about how you can add tools or create a copy pod to look inside without stopping the original pod.

Describe the difference between kubectl exec and kubectl debug.

Consider what each command does inside or outside the pod.