How to Create ConfigMap from Literal in Kubernetes

Use the kubectl create configmap command with the --from-literal flag to create a ConfigMap from literal key-value pairs. For example, kubectl create configmap my-config --from-literal=key1=value1 --from-literal=key2=value2 creates a ConfigMap named my-config with two entries.

Syntax

The basic syntax to create a ConfigMap from literal values is:

• kubectl create configmap <configmap-name> --from-literal=<key1>=<value1> --from-literal=<key2>=<value2>
• <configmap-name>: The name you want to give your ConfigMap.
• --from-literal: Flag to specify a key-value pair directly.
• You can add multiple --from-literal flags to include multiple entries.

bash

kubectl create configmap <configmap-name> --from-literal=<key1>=<value1> --from-literal=<key2>=<value2>

Example

This example creates a ConfigMap named app-config with two literal key-value pairs: environment=production and log_level=info.

bash

kubectl create configmap app-config --from-literal=environment=production --from-literal=log_level=info

Output

configmap/app-config created

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when creating ConfigMaps from literals include:

• Forgetting to use the --from-literal flag before each key-value pair.
• Using spaces around the equals sign =, which is not allowed.
• Not quoting values that contain spaces or special characters, which can cause errors.
• Trying to create a ConfigMap with a name that already exists without using kubectl apply or deleting the old one first.

bash

kubectl create configmap my-config --from-literal=key1= value1  # Wrong: space after '='
kubectl create configmap my-config --from-literal=key1=value1 --from-literal key2=value2  # Wrong: missing '=' after --from-literal
kubectl create configmap my-config --from-literal="key with space"="value with space"  # Correct: quotes for spaces

Quick Reference

Command	Description
kubectl create configmap --from-literal=key=value	Create ConfigMap with one literal key-value pair
kubectl create configmap --from-literal=key1=value1 --from-literal=key2=value2	Create ConfigMap with multiple literals
kubectl get configmap -o yaml	View ConfigMap details in YAML format
kubectl delete configmap	Delete a ConfigMap

Key Takeaways

Use the --from-literal flag with kubectl create configmap to add key-value pairs directly.

Each literal key-value pair requires its own --from-literal flag without spaces around '='.

Quote values with spaces or special characters to avoid errors.

Check existing ConfigMap names to avoid conflicts before creating new ones.

Use kubectl get configmap to verify your ConfigMap after creation.