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Project Archived: This project is now archived and no longer maintained. Please consider using Headlamp for new deployments.

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Overview

Kubernetes Dashboard supports only Helm-based installation as of version 7.0.0. Helm provides better control over dependencies and makes it easier to manage the multi-container setup required by Dashboard.

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Prerequisites

Before installing Kubernetes Dashboard, ensure you have:
1

Kubernetes Cluster

A running Kubernetes cluster with version 1.21.0 or higher.Verify your cluster version:
kubectl version --short
2

Helm 3

Helm 3 installed on your local machine.Check your Helm version:
helm version
Helm 2 is no longer supported. If you’re using Helm 2, follow the migration guide.
3

kubectl Access

kubectl configured with access to your cluster and permissions to create namespaces and resources.Verify cluster access:
kubectl cluster-info

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Quick Installation

The fastest way to install Kubernetes Dashboard: 
# Add kubernetes-dashboard repository
helm repo add kubernetes-dashboard https://kubernetes.github.io/dashboard/

# Deploy a Helm Release named "kubernetes-dashboard" using the kubernetes-dashboard chart
helm upgrade --install kubernetes-dashboard kubernetes-dashboard/kubernetes-dashboard --create-namespace --namespace kubernetes-dashboard
This command will:
  • Create the kubernetes-dashboard namespace if it doesn’t exist
  • Install or upgrade the Dashboard release
  • Use default configuration values

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Step-by-Step Installation

1

Add the Helm Repository

Add the official Kubernetes Dashboard Helm repository:
helm repo add kubernetes-dashboard https://kubernetes.github.io/dashboard/
Update your local Helm chart repository cache:
helm repo update
2

(Optional) Review Available Versions

Check available chart versions:
helm search repo kubernetes-dashboard --versions
The latest stable version is 7.14.0.
3

(Optional) Customize Installation

Download the default values file to customize your installation:
helm show values kubernetes-dashboard/kubernetes-dashboard > values.yaml
Edit values.yaml to customize settings like:
  • Resource limits and requests
  • Ingress configuration
  • Security settings
  • Optional dependencies (cert-manager, ingress-nginx, metrics-server)
4

Install the Chart

Install Dashboard with default settings:
helm upgrade --install kubernetes-dashboard kubernetes-dashboard/kubernetes-dashboard \
  --create-namespace \
  --namespace kubernetes-dashboard
Or with custom values:
helm upgrade --install kubernetes-dashboard kubernetes-dashboard/kubernetes-dashboard \
  --create-namespace \
  --namespace kubernetes-dashboard \
  -f values.yaml

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Architecture Components

The Helm chart deploys the following components:
  • Web UI (kubernetesui/dashboard-web:1.7.0): Frontend interface
  • API Server (kubernetesui/dashboard-api:1.14.0): Backend API
  • Auth Service (kubernetesui/dashboard-auth:1.4.0): Authentication handler
  • Kong Gateway (v2.52.0): API gateway in DBless mode
  • Metrics Scraper (kubernetesui/dashboard-metrics-scraper:1.2.2): Enabled by default
  • Metrics Server (v3.13.0): Disabled by default, enable if not already in cluster
  • Cert Manager (v1.19.1): Disabled by default, required for TLS certificates
  • Ingress NGINX (v4.13.3): Disabled by default, for ingress support

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Configuration Options

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Enable Optional Dependencies

If you don’t have these components already installed in your cluster: 
helm upgrade --install kubernetes-dashboard kubernetes-dashboard/kubernetes-dashboard \
  --create-namespace \
  --namespace kubernetes-dashboard \
  --set metrics-server.enabled=true

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Configure Ingress

Enable and configure Ingress for external access: 
helm upgrade --install kubernetes-dashboard kubernetes-dashboard/kubernetes-dashboard \
  --create-namespace \
  --namespace kubernetes-dashboard \
  --set app.ingress.enabled=true \
  --set app.ingress.hosts[0]=dashboard.example.com \
  --set app.ingress.ingressClassName=nginx

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Resource Limits

Adjust resource limits for production deployments: 
helm upgrade --install kubernetes-dashboard kubernetes-dashboard/kubernetes-dashboard \
  --create-namespace \
  --namespace kubernetes-dashboard \
  --set api.containers.resources.limits.cpu=500m \
  --set api.containers.resources.limits.memory=512Mi \
  --set web.containers.resources.limits.cpu=500m \
  --set web.containers.resources.limits.memory=512Mi

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Verification

Verify the installation was successful:
1

Check Pod Status

Ensure all pods are running:
kubectl get pods -n kubernetes-dashboard
Expected output (with default configuration):
NAME                                                   READY   STATUS    RESTARTS   AGE
kubernetes-dashboard-api-xxxxx                         1/1     Running   0          2m
kubernetes-dashboard-auth-xxxxx                        1/1     Running   0          2m
kubernetes-dashboard-kong-xxxxx                        1/1     Running   0          2m
kubernetes-dashboard-metrics-scraper-xxxxx             1/1     Running   0          2m
kubernetes-dashboard-web-xxxxx                         1/1     Running   0          2m
2

Check Services

Verify services are created:
kubectl get svc -n kubernetes-dashboard
Look for the kubernetes-dashboard-kong-proxy service, which is the main entry point.
3

View Helm Release

Check the Helm release status:
helm list -n kubernetes-dashboard

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Common Installation Issues

Cause: Insufficient cluster resources or persistent volume claims not bound.Solution:
  1. Check pod events: kubectl describe pod <pod-name> -n kubernetes-dashboard
  2. Ensure your cluster has enough CPU and memory
  3. For PVC issues, verify storage classes are available
Cause: Configuration issues or incompatible Kubernetes version.Solution:
  1. Check pod logs: kubectl logs <pod-name> -n kubernetes-dashboard
  2. Verify Kubernetes version is >= 1.21.0
  3. Review custom values for configuration errors
Cause: Cannot pull container images from Docker Hub.Solution:
  1. Check network connectivity to Docker Hub
  2. Verify image pull secrets if using a private registry
  3. Check for rate limiting issues with Docker Hub
Cause: cert-manager, nginx, or metrics-server already installed with different versions.Solution: Disable the conflicting dependencies:
helm upgrade --install kubernetes-dashboard kubernetes-dashboard/kubernetes-dashboard \
  --create-namespace \
  --namespace kubernetes-dashboard \
  --set nginx.enabled=false \
  --set cert-manager.enabled=false \
  --set metrics-server.enabled=false

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Uninstalling Dashboard

To completely remove Kubernetes Dashboard: 
# Delete the Helm release
helm delete kubernetes-dashboard --namespace kubernetes-dashboard

# Delete the namespace (optional)
kubectl delete namespace kubernetes-dashboard
This will permanently delete all Dashboard data and configurations. Ensure you have backups if needed.

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Upgrading

To upgrade to a newer version: 
# Update repository
helm repo update

# Upgrade the release
helm upgrade kubernetes-dashboard kubernetes-dashboard/kubernetes-dashboard \
  --namespace kubernetes-dashboard
Major version upgrades (e.g., 6.x to 7.x) may require manual intervention. Always check the Helm chart README for upgrade notes.

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Next Steps

Access Dashboard

Learn different methods to access your Dashboard installation

Configure Access Control

Set up authentication and authorization for your users

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Additional Resources

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