k8spacket
k8spacket uses eBPF to capture TCP and TLS traffic metadata from Kubernetes clusters and visualizes the data in Grafana. It helps teams understand inter-pod communication, external traffic routing, and certificate expiration without installing packet capture agents on every node.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | k8spacket/k8spacket |
| Owner | k8spacket |
| Primary language | Go |
| License | Apache-2.0 — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 1.1k |
| Forks | 58 |
| Open issues | 2 |
| Latest release | v2.2.5 (2026-05-12) |
| Last updated | 2026-05-12 |
| Source | https://github.com/k8spacket/k8spacket |
What k8spacket is
k8spacket leverages eBPF tracepoints (inet_sock_set_state) and traffic control filters to collect TCP connection state and TLS handshake metadata from kernel space, exposing metrics to Prometheus and node-graph data via custom APIs. Requires kernel 5.4+ with BTF support and integrates with Grafana dashboards via Node Graph API and JSON datasource plugins.
Get the k8spacket source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/k8spacket/k8spacket.gitcd k8spacket# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Verify kernel version (5.4+) and BTF support on all cluster nodes before deployment; test with e2e suite provided in repository.
- Deploy via Helm chart (k8spacket-helm-chart); configure Prometheus scrape config and add required Grafana plugins (Node Graph API, JSON datasource, dynamic text panel).
- eBPF programs run in kernel space with elevated privileges; review security posture and restrict RBAC to trusted namespaces.
- Monitor CPU and memory overhead of eBPF collectors, especially on high-throughput clusters; adjust traffic-control filter rules if needed.
- Plan for plugin dependency management: ensure Grafana plugin versions align with k8spacket releases to avoid dashboard compatibility issues.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- Kernel < 5.4 or BTF Disabled — k8spacket v2.x requires kernel 5.4+ with BTF enabled. Older kernels or minimal host OS images may not support eBPF requirements.
- No Grafana Infrastructure — The project is visualization-centric and depends on Grafana, Prometheus, and additional Grafana plugins. Environments without this stack will require significant setup overhead.
- Payload Inspection or Full Packet Capture — k8spacket captures metadata and handshake details only; it does not record packet payloads or support deep packet inspection.
- Windows or Non-Linux Kubernetes — eBPF is Linux-specific. Clusters with Windows nodes or non-Linux container runtimes cannot deploy k8spacket agents.
License & commercial use
Licensed under Apache License 2.0 (Apache-2.0), a permissive open-source license allowing commercial use, modification, and distribution with attribution and liability disclaimer.
Apache-2.0 is an OSI-approved permissive license that explicitly permits commercial use. Organizations may deploy, modify, and integrate k8spacket into commercial products provided they comply with license terms (retain notices, state changes). No license fee or vendor agreement required. Review internal compliance policies to confirm acceptability.
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 | Moderate |
| DEV.co fit | Good |
| Assessment confidence | High |
k8spacket runs eBPF programs with kernel-level privileges. Ensure only cluster administrators can deploy and modify agent configurations. Validate kernel security patches and eBPF verifier compliance. TLS metadata capture does not expose private keys; however, monitor traffic-control rules to prevent unintended data exfiltration. Test kernel version and SELinux/AppArmor policies in air-gapped environments. No formal security audit or CVE history mentioned; requires internal security review before production deployment.
Alternatives to consider
Cilium Hubble
Also eBPF-based, provides real-time network observability and security policies; deeper integration with Cilium CNI but less focus on TLS certificate tracking.
Istio/Kiali
Service mesh observability with application-layer metrics, traffic management, and mTLS insights; heavier footprint and requires mesh sidecar deployment.
tcpdump / Wireshark + Cloud Capture (e.g., AWS VPC Flow Logs)
Traditional packet capture for detailed payload inspection; cloud-native alternatives for managed Kubernetes; lower overhead but requires manual analysis and lacks Kubernetes context.
Build on k8spacket with DEV.co software developers
Deploy k8spacket via Helm to start capturing TCP metadata and TLS handshake details. Requires kernel 5.4+ with BTF support and Grafana infrastructure.
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k8spacket FAQ
What kernel versions does k8spacket support?
Does k8spacket capture packet payloads?
Can k8spacket work without Grafana?
What is the performance overhead?
Work with a software development agency
From first prototype to production, DEV.co delivers software development services around tools like k8spacket. Our software development agency staffs experienced software developers and web developers for custom software development, web development, integrations, and ongoing support across open-source observability and beyond.
Ready to gain visibility into cluster traffic?
Deploy k8spacket via Helm to start capturing TCP metadata and TLS handshake details. Requires kernel 5.4+ with BTF support and Grafana infrastructure.