How to Use Resource Quota in Kubernetes Namespace

Use a ResourceQuota object in a Kubernetes namespace to limit resource usage like CPU, memory, and object counts. Create a YAML manifest defining the quota and apply it with kubectl apply -f in the target namespace.

Syntax

A ResourceQuota is a Kubernetes object that limits resource consumption in a namespace. It has a metadata section for naming and namespace, and a spec.hard section where you define limits like CPU, memory, pods, or services.

Each key in spec.hard represents a resource type, and the value is the maximum allowed amount.

yaml

apiVersion: v1
kind: ResourceQuota
metadata:
  name: quota-name
  namespace: target-namespace
spec:
  hard:
    cpu: "2"
    memory: 4Gi
    pods: "10"
    services: "5"

Example

This example creates a resource quota named compute-resources in the dev namespace. It limits CPU to 2 cores, memory to 4Gi, and allows up to 10 pods.

yaml

apiVersion: v1
kind: Namespace
metadata:
  name: dev
---
apiVersion: v1
kind: ResourceQuota
metadata:
  name: compute-resources
  namespace: dev
spec:
  hard:
    cpu: "2"
    memory: 4Gi
    pods: "10"

Output

namespace/dev created
resourcequota/compute-resources created

Common Pitfalls

• Not specifying the namespace in the metadata causes the quota to apply to the default namespace or fail if none is set.
• Setting limits too low can block pod creation or resource allocation unexpectedly.
• Resource names in spec.hard must be exact (e.g., cpu, memory, pods), or the quota will be ignored.
• For CPU and memory, use string values with units (e.g., "2", "4Gi").

yaml

apiVersion: v1
kind: ResourceQuota
metadata:
  name: wrong-quota
  namespace: dev
spec:
  hard:
    cpu: "2"  # Added quotes
    memory: "4Gi"  # Added quotes
    pods: "10"  # Corrected resource name

Quick Reference

Resource	Description	Example Limit
cpu	Total CPU cores allowed	"2"
memory	Total memory allowed	"4Gi"
pods	Maximum number of pods	"10"
services	Maximum number of services	"5"
configmaps	Maximum number of ConfigMaps	"10"

Key Takeaways

Create a ResourceQuota YAML with limits under spec.hard and apply it in the target namespace.

Always specify the namespace in metadata to ensure the quota applies correctly.

Use correct resource names and units to avoid quota misconfiguration.

Resource quotas help control resource usage and prevent overconsumption in namespaces.

Check quota status with kubectl describe resourcequota -n .