How to Check Kubernetes Cluster Health? (Best Practices)

In this article, I will show you how you can check Kubernetes cluster health status.

Here are the following ways you can use it.

• Check cluster API health
• Check Node status
• Check cluster pod status

Kubernetes Cluster Health Check Command

To check the health of the API endpoint, use the following command:

kubectl get --raw='/readyz?verbose'

Now within the cluster, you can use the following command:

curl -k https://localhost:6443/livez?verbose

Additionally, there is a deprecated command for component status that is still functional in the newest release.

kubectl get cs

Kubernetes Node Status Command

Use the below kubectl nodes command to get the status:

kubectl get nodes

Use the following kubectl command to get the status and details of a Kubernetes node in detail.

kubectl describe nodes

How To Check Cluster Pod Status?

Check the status of every cluster pod listed using the kube-system namespace.

kubectl get po -n kube-system

How to check kubernetes cluster health status ubuntu?

Step 1. Check Overall Cluster Status
Run the following command to check if the cluster is up and running:

kubectl cluster-info

It is supposed to return details about the Kubernetes control plane and services.

Step 2. Check Node Status
Ensure all nodes are in a Ready state:

kubectl get nodes

Expected output:

NAME STATUS ROLES AGE VERSION
node-1 Ready master 10d v1.27.1
node-2 Ready worker 10d v1.27.1

If any node is NotReady, troubleshoot further.

Step 3: Verify System Pods (Control Plane Components)
Check if all Kubernetes system pods are running:

kubectl get pods -n kube-system

Look for STATUS=Running and no CrashLoopBackOff or Error.

Step 4: Check Events for Errors
Get recent events to identify issues:

kubectl get events --sort-by=.metadata.creationTimestamp

Step 5: Describe Node for More Details
If a node is unhealthy, run:

kubectl describe node

Look for Warnings or Errors in the output.

Step 6: Check Resource Usage (Optional)
If the metrics server is installed, check resource usage:

kubectl top nodes
kubectl top pods

Step 7: Verify Kubelet Health on Each Node
Log in to a node and check the Kubelet service:

sudo systemctl status kubelet

If it’s inactive or failed, restart it:

sudo systemctl restart kubelet

Step 8: Use Health API (Advanced)
Check the API health endpoint:

curl -s http://localhost:10248/healthz

Expected output: ok

How do you check Kubernetes cluster health status mac?

To check the Kubernetes cluster health status on Mac, follow these steps:

Step 1: Verify Cluster is Running

kubectl cluster-info

This should return details about the control plane and services.

If the cluster is down, it will show an error.

Step 2: Check Node Health

kubectl get nodes

Expected output:

NAME        STATUS   ROLES    AGE   VERSION

node-1      Ready    master   10d   v1.27.1

node-2      Ready    worker   10d   v1.27.1

If any node shows NotReady, further troubleshooting is needed.

Step 3: Check System Pods (Control Plane Components)

kubectl get pods -n kube-system

Ensure all critical system pods are Running without errors like CrashLoopBackOff or Error.

Step 4: Check for Kubernetes Events

kubectl get events --sort-by=.metadata.creationTimestamp

This will display recent warnings, failures, or scheduling issues.

Step 5: Describe Node for More Details

kubectl describe node <node-name>

Look for warnings or errors related to memory, disk pressure, or network issues.

Step 6. Check Resource Usage (If Metrics Server is Installed)

kubectl top nodes

kubectl top pods

This shows CPU and memory usage.

Step 7: Verify Kubelet is Running on Mac

If you are using Minikube or Kind, check the service status:

• Minikube

minikube status

Ensure that the cluster, control plane, and kubelet are running.

• Kind

docker ps | grep kind

This checks if the Kind cluster containers are running.

Step 8: Check Kubernetes API Health (Advanced)

curl -s http://localhost:10248/healthz

Expected output: ok, If not, the API server might be down.

Final Thoughts Kubernetes Cluster Health Status

In order to make sure the Kubernetes cluster is operating smoothly, it is important to regularly verify the cluster status using several methods.

Check out the CKA exam guide if you’re getting ready for the Kubernetes certification, and take advantage of the CKA coupon code for registration discounts.

Additionally, learning Python for DevOps can be highly beneficial for automating Kubernetes operations, managing infrastructure, and improving workflow efficiency.

Check out the best Kubernetes tutorials if you’re learning the system.

Frequently Asked Questions