Open-Source DevOps · kubernetes-sigs

headlamp

Headlamp is an open-source Kubernetes web dashboard that provides a vendor-independent UI for managing clusters. It works both as an in-cluster service and a desktop application, with support for multiple clusters, plugins, and role-based access controls.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/kubernetes-sigs/headlamp

6.8k

GitHub stars

921

Forks

TypeScript

Primary language

Apache-2.0

License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.

Field	Value
Repository	kubernetes-sigs/headlamp
Owner	kubernetes-sigs
Primary language	TypeScript
License	Apache-2.0 — OSI-approved
Stars	6.8k
Forks	921
Open issues	783
Latest release	v0.43.0 (2026-06-16)
Last updated	2026-07-07
Source	https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/headlamp

What headlamp is

A TypeScript-based Kubernetes web UI built for the Kubernetes SIGs project, offering RBAC-aware resource management, interactive operations (logs, exec, editing), plugin extensibility via TypeScript, and dual deployment modes (in-cluster or desktop via desktop app framework). Actively maintained with OpenSSF Best Practices badge.

Quickstart

Get the headlamp source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/headlamp.git2cd headlamp3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

Need it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.

Best use cases

Multi-cluster Kubernetes management

Teams managing multiple Kubernetes clusters benefit from Headlamp's native multi-cluster support and role-based visibility, reducing context-switching and improving operational oversight.

RBAC-aware operations for enterprises

Organizations requiring strict permission enforcement can rely on Headlamp's RBAC integration that automatically reflects user roles in the UI, preventing unauthorized actions at the interface level.

Extensible platform for custom workflows

Engineering teams needing domain-specific cluster management can build TypeScript plugins to extend Headlamp's functionality without forking the core project, using the official plugin ecosystem on Artifact Hub.

Implementation considerations

RBAC configuration must align with Kubernetes cluster roles; insufficient permissions on the token used will limit resource visibility and operations.
Desktop mode requires kubeconfig setup in standard paths; in-cluster deployment needs Helm or manual manifests with appropriate service account and RBAC permissions.
Plugin development requires TypeScript and Node.js tooling; the plugin architecture is external (separate repo), so plan integration and maintenance workflows.
Authentication is inherited from kubeconfig or in-cluster service account tokens; no built-in identity provider; relies on Kubernetes native mechanisms.
Recent migration to kubernetes-sigs organization means documentation links may be transitioning; verify current URLs before deployment.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

Requires proprietary vendor integrations — If your workflow depends on closed-source Kubernetes distributions with proprietary dashboards, Headlamp's vendor-independent design may lack those specific integrations.
Need for legacy Kubernetes versions — The project tests against specific platforms (see docs/platforms.md); if you run unsupported or end-of-life Kubernetes versions, compatibility is not guaranteed.
Minimal staffing or no-maintenance preference — While mature, Headlamp is a community-driven project; if you require guaranteed SLA-backed support, a commercial Kubernetes dashboard product may be more appropriate.
Air-gapped environments without build infrastructure — Headlamp relies on container images from ghcr.io and plugin ecosystem from external sources; offline-only networks require manual image/dependency mirroring.

License & commercial use

Apache License 2.0 (Apache-2.0). Permissive OSI-compliant license allowing commercial use, modification, and distribution with attribution and liability disclaimers. Full license text in LICENSE file.

Apache 2.0 is a permissive open-source license that permits commercial use, proprietary modifications, and closed-source redistribution provided license headers are retained and liability is disclaimed. No commercial support, SLA, or vendor lock-in apparent from provided data. Review actual use case (SaaS, on-prem licensing, compliance) against your legal requirements.

DEV.co evaluation signals

Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.

Signal	Assessment
Maintenance	Active
Documentation	Adequate
License clarity	Clear
Deployment complexity	Low
DEV.co fit	Good
Assessment confidence	High

Security considerations

Headlamp exposes Kubernetes API through a web UI; security posture depends on: (1) network access control to the Headlamp instance, (2) kubeconfig/token credential security, (3) RBAC policy strictness, (4) TLS for in-cluster deployment. No vulnerability data provided. OpenSSF Best Practices badge indicates security process adoption. No claim of formal security audit possible from provided data. UI-level RBAC enforcement does not replace cluster-level policies.

Alternatives to consider

Kubernetes Dashboard (official)

Official Kubernetes project dashboard; simpler feature set; potentially lower friction for basic cluster inspection but less extensible and fewer operations.

Lens (by 4Catalyzer, now Mirantis)

Desktop-first Kubernetes IDE with rich UX; commercial support available; more integrated monitoring/debugging; proprietary distribution (some paid tiers) vs. Headlamp's pure open-source model.

Octant (VMware, community-maintained)

Plugin-based Kubernetes dashboard; similar extensibility; less active development than Headlamp; desktop and web modes available.

Software development agency

Build on headlamp with DEV.co software developers

Evaluate Headlamp as your team's extensible dashboard. Start with the desktop app using your kubeconfig, then migrate to in-cluster deployment. Join the Kubernetes SIG UI community.

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headlamp FAQ

Can I use Headlamp in a production cluster without self-hosting?

Headlamp can run in-cluster or as a desktop app. For production, in-cluster deployment is typical; you deploy and operate it like any other pod. No managed SaaS offering apparent from provided data.

Does Headlamp support authentication (not just RBAC)?

Headlamp inherits authentication from Kubernetes (kubeconfig, service account tokens, or in-cluster defaults). No built-in identity provider; relies on cluster-level auth mechanisms.

Can I extend Headlamp with custom features?

Yes, TypeScript plugins are the primary extensibility mechanism. Plugin repo and Artifact Hub publish community plugins. Plugin development requires Node.js/TypeScript and knowledge of Headlamp's plugin API.

Is there commercial support available?

Not stated in provided data. Headlamp is community-maintained under kubernetes-sigs. Support via Kubernetes Slack (#headlamp) and community meetings. No SLA or paid support offering mentioned.

Software development & web development with DEV.co

Adopting headlamp is usually one piece of a larger software development effort. As a software development agency, DEV.co provides software development services and web development expertise — pairing senior software developers and web developers with your team to design, build, and operate open-source devops software in production.

Ready to streamline your Kubernetes operations?

Evaluate Headlamp as your team's extensible dashboard. Start with the desktop app using your kubeconfig, then migrate to in-cluster deployment. Join the Kubernetes SIG UI community.

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