crictl
provides a CLI for CRI-compatible container runtimes. This allows the CRI runtime developers to debug their runtime without needing to set up Kubernetes components.
crictl
has been GA since v1.11.0
and is currently under active development. It is hosted at the cri-tools repository. We encourage the CRI developers to report bugs or help extend the coverage by adding more functionalities.
The tool expects JSON or YAML encoded files as input and passes them to the corresponding container runtime using the CRI API protocol.
NOTE: The below steps are based on linux-amd64, however you can get downloads for all other platforms (Windows, ARM, etc) in the releases page.
crictl
can be downloaded from cri-tools release page:
- using
wget
:
VERSION="v1.30.0" # check latest version in /releases page
wget https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/cri-tools/releases/download/$VERSION/crictl-$VERSION-linux-amd64.tar.gz
sudo tar zxvf crictl-$VERSION-linux-amd64.tar.gz -C /usr/local/bin
rm -f crictl-$VERSION-linux-amd64.tar.gz
- using
curl
:
VERSION="v1.30.0" # check latest version in /releases page
curl -L https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/cri-tools/releases/download/$VERSION/crictl-${VERSION}-linux-amd64.tar.gz --output crictl-${VERSION}-linux-amd64.tar.gz
sudo tar zxvf crictl-$VERSION-linux-amd64.tar.gz -C /usr/local/bin
rm -f crictl-$VERSION-linux-amd64.tar.gz
crictl [global options] command [command options] [arguments...]
COMMANDS:
attach
: Attach to a running containercreate
: Create a new containerexec
: Run a command in a running containerversion
: Display runtime version informationimages, image, img
: List imagesinspect
: Display the status of one or more containersinspecti
: Return the status of one or more imagesimagefsinfo
: Return image filesystem infoinspectp
: Display the status of one or more podslogs
: Fetch the logs of a containerport-forward
: Forward local port to a podps
: List containerspull
: Pull an image from a registryrun
: Run a new container inside a sandboxrunp
: Run a new podrm
: Remove one or more containersrmi
: Remove one or more imagesrmp
: Remove one or more podspods
: List podsstart
: Start one or more created containersinfo
: Display information of the container runtimestop
: Stop one or more running containersstopp
: Stop one or more running podsupdate
: Update one or more running containersconfig
: Get and setcrictl
client configuration optionsstats
: List container(s) resource usage statisticsstatsp
: List pod(s) resource usage statisticscompletion
: Output bash shell completion codecheckpoint
: Checkpoint one or more running containersevents, event
: Stream the events of containersupdate-runtime-config
Update the runtime configurationhelp, h
: Shows a list of commands or help for one command
crictl
by default connects on Unix to:
unix:///run/containerd/containerd.sock
orunix:///run/crio/crio.sock
orunix:///var/run/cri-dockerd.sock
or on Windows to:
npipe:////./pipe/containerd-containerd
ornpipe:////./pipe/cri-dockerd
For other runtimes, use:
- frakti:
unix:///var/run/frakti.sock
The endpoint can be set in three ways:
- By setting global option flags
--runtime-endpoint
(-r
) and--image-endpoint
(-i
) - By setting environment variables
CONTAINER_RUNTIME_ENDPOINT
andIMAGE_SERVICE_ENDPOINT
- By setting the endpoint in the config file
--config=/etc/crictl.yaml
If the endpoint is not set then it works as follows:
- If the runtime endpoint is not set,
crictl
will by default try to connect using:- containerd
- cri-o
- cri-dockerd
- If the image endpoint is not set,
crictl
will by default use the runtime endpoint setting
Note: The default endpoints are now deprecated and the runtime endpoint should always be set instead. The performance maybe affected as each default connection attempt takes n-seconds to complete before timing out and going to the next in sequence.
Unix:
$ cat /etc/crictl.yaml
runtime-endpoint: unix:///run/containerd/containerd.sock
image-endpoint: unix:///run/containerd/containerd.sock
timeout: 2
debug: true
pull-image-on-create: false
Windows:
C:\> type %USERPROFILE%\.crictl\crictl.yaml
runtime-endpoint: npipe:////./pipe/containerd-containerd
image-endpoint: npipe:////./pipe/containerd-containerd
timeout: 2
debug: true
pull-image-on-create: false
Some runtimes might use cmux for connection
multiplexing, which can cause issues during the initial gRPC
connection setup. If it does not seem to be possible to connect to the runtime
*.sock
, then exporting the environment variable
GRPC_GO_REQUIRE_HANDSHAKE=off
might solve the issue. Please take into account
that the environment has to be preserved when running
via sudo (sudo -E crictl ...
).
--timeout
,-t
: Timeout of connecting to server in seconds (default:2s
). 0 or less is interpreted as unset and converted to the default. There is no option for no timeout value set and the smallest supported timeout is1s
--debug
,-D
: Enable debug output--help
,-h
: show help--version
,-v
: print the version information ofcrictl
--config
,-c
: Location of the client config file (default:/etc/crictl.yaml
). Can be changed by settingCRI_CONFIG_FILE
environment variable. If not specified and the default does not exist, the program's directory is searched as well
Use the crictl
config command to get and set the crictl
client configuration
options.
USAGE:
crictl config [command options] [<crictl options>]
For example crictl config --set debug=true
will enable debug mode when giving subsequent crictl
commands.
COMMAND OPTIONS:
--get value
: Show the option value--set value
: Set option (can specify multiple or separate values with commas: opt1=val1,opt2=val2)--help
,-h
: Show help (default:false
)
crictl
OPTIONS:
runtime-endpoint
: Container runtime endpoint (no default value)image-endpoint
: Image endpoint (no default value)timeout
: Timeout of connecting to server (default:2s
)debug
: Enable debug output (default:false
)pull-image-on-create
: Enable pulling image on create requests (default:false
)disable-pull-on-run
: Disable pulling image on run requests (default:false
)
When enabled
pull-image-on-create
modifies the create container command to first pull the container's image. This feature is used as a helper to make creating containers easier and faster. Some users ofcrictl
may desire to not pull the image necessary to create the container. For example, the image may have already been pulled or otherwise loaded into the container runtime, or the user may be running without a network. For this reason the default forpull-image-on-create
isfalse
.
By default the run command first pulls the container image, and
disable-pull-on-run
isfalse
. Some users ofcrictl
may desire to setdisable-pull-on-run
totrue
to not pull the image by default when using the run command.
To override these default pull configuration settings,
--no-pull
and--with-pull
options are provided for the create and run commands.
- Run pod sandbox with config file
- Run pod sandbox with runtime handler
- Pull a busybox image
- Filter images
$ cat pod-config.json
{
"metadata": {
"name": "nginx-sandbox",
"namespace": "default",
"attempt": 1,
"uid": "hdishd83djaidwnduwk28bcsb"
},
"log_directory": "/tmp",
"linux": {
}
}
$ crictl runp pod-config.json
f84dd361f8dc51518ed291fbadd6db537b0496536c1d2d6c05ff943ce8c9a54f
List pod sandboxes and check the sandbox is in Ready state:
$ crictl pods
POD ID CREATED STATE NAME NAMESPACE ATTEMPT
f84dd361f8dc5 17 seconds ago Ready nginx-sandbox default 1
Runtime handler requires runtime support. The following example shows running a pod sandbox with runsc
handler on containerd runtime.
$ cat pod-config.json
{
"metadata": {
"name": "nginx-runsc-sandbox",
"namespace": "default",
"attempt": 1,
"uid": "hdishd83djaidwnduwk28bcsb"
},
"log_directory": "/tmp",
"linux": {
}
}
$ crictl runp --runtime=runsc pod-config.json
c112976cb6caa43a967293e2c62a2e0d9d8191d5109afef230f403411147548c
$ crictl inspectp c112976cb6caa43a967293e2c62a2e0d9d8191d5109afef230f403411147548c
...
"runtime": {
"runtimeType": "io.containerd.runtime.v1.linux",
"runtimeEngine": "/usr/local/sbin/runsc",
"runtimeRoot": "/run/containerd/runsc"
},
...
$ crictl pull busybox
Image is up to date for busybox@sha256:141c253bc4c3fd0a201d32dc1f493bcf3fff003b6df416dea4f41046e0f37d47
List images and check the busybox image has been pulled:
$ crictl images
IMAGE TAG IMAGE ID SIZE
busybox latest 8c811b4aec35f 1.15MB
k8s.gcr.io/pause 3.1 da86e6ba6ca19 742kB
The following filters are available --filter
, -f
:
before=<image-name>[:<tag>]|<image id>|<image@digest>
dangling=(true/false)
reference=/regex/
since=<image-name>[:<tag>]|<image id>|<image@digest>
Filters can be combined and are applied in the order provided.
List all images:
$ crictl images --digests
IMAGE TAG DIGEST IMAGE ID SIZE
docker.io/library/busybox latest 538721340ded1 3f57d9401f8d4 4.5MB
docker.io/library/nginx latest 05aa73005987c e4720093a3c13 191MB
gcr.io/k8s-staging-cri-tools/hostnet-nginx-amd64 latest aa74ea387dbbe 1ee3f9825c42b 147MB
gcr.io/k8s-staging-cri-tools/test-image-predefined-group latest 2b2fc189c502a 84410ab6e30d9 5.11MB
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/busybox 1.29-2 c318242786b13 84eebb9ca1734 1.37MB
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/httpd 2.4.39-4 3fe7acf013d12 444b9e2765dc9 132MB
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/nginx 1.14-2 13616070e3f29 02e45a31af51c 17.2MB
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/nonewprivs 1.3 8ac1264691820 3e3d1785c0b6e 7.37MB
registry.k8s.io/pause 3.9 7031c1b283388 e6f1816883972 750kB
List images by reference
:
$ crictl images --filter 'reference=k8s'
IMAGE TAG IMAGE ID SIZE
gcr.io/k8s-staging-cri-tools/hostnet-nginx-amd64 latest 1ee3f9825c42b 147MB
gcr.io/k8s-staging-cri-tools/test-image-predefined-group latest 84410ab6e30d9 5.11MB
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/busybox 1.29-2 84eebb9ca1734 1.37MB
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/httpd 2.4.39-4 444b9e2765dc9 132MB
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/nginx 1.14-2 02e45a31af51c 17.2MB
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/nonewprivs 1.3 3e3d1785c0b6e 7.37MB
registry.k8s.io/pause 3.9 e6f1816883972 750kB
List images by reference
using a regular expression:
$ crictl images --filter 'reference=nginx'
IMAGE TAG IMAGE ID SIZE
docker.io/library/nginx latest e4720093a3c13 191MB
gcr.io/k8s-staging-cri-tools/hostnet-nginx-amd64 latest 1ee3f9825c42b 147MB
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/nginx 1.14-2 02e45a31af51c 17.2MB
$ crictl images --filter 'reference=.*(nginx)$'
IMAGE TAG IMAGE ID SIZE
docker.io/library/nginx latest e4720093a3c13 191MB
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/nginx 1.14-2 02e45a31af51c 17.2MB
Combine multiple --filter
arguments together:
$ crictl images --filter 'reference=nginx' --filter 'reference=\.k8s\.'
IMAGE TAG IMAGE ID SIZE
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/nginx 1.14-2 02e45a31af51c 17.2MB
$ crictl images --filter 'since=registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/busybox@sha256:c318242786b139d18676b1c09a0ad7f15fc17f8f16a5b2e625cd0dc8c9703daf' --filter 'reference=nginx'
IMAGE TAG IMAGE ID SIZE
docker.io/library/nginx latest e4720093a3c13 191MB
gcr.io/k8s-staging-cri-tools/hostnet-nginx-amd64 latest 1ee3f9825c42b 147MB
List images before=<image-name>[:<tag>]
:
$ crictl images --filter 'before=gcr.io/k8s-staging-cri-tools/hostnet-nginx-amd64:latest'
IMAGE TAG IMAGE ID SIZE
gcr.io/k8s-staging-cri-tools/test-image-predefined-group latest 84410ab6e30d9 5.11MB
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/busybox 1.29-2 84eebb9ca1734 1.37MB
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/httpd 2.4.39-4 444b9e2765dc9 132MB
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/nginx 1.14-2 02e45a31af51c 17.2MB
registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/nonewprivs 1.3 3e3d1785c0b6e 7.37MB
registry.k8s.io/pause 3.9 e6f1816883972 750kB
List images since=<image-name>[:<tag>]
:
$ crictl images --filter 'since=gcr.io/k8s-staging-cri-tools/hostnet-nginx-amd64:latest'
IMAGE TAG IMAGE ID SIZE
docker.io/library/busybox latest 3f57d9401f8d4 4.5MB
docker.io/library/nginx latest e4720093a3c13 191MB
List images since=<image@digest>
:
crictl images --filter 'since=registry.k8s.io/e2e-test-images/busybox@sha256:c318242786b139d18676b1c09a0ad7f15fc17f8f16a5b2e625cd0dc8c9703daf'
IMAGE TAG IMAGE ID SIZE
docker.io/library/busybox latest 3f57d9401f8d4 4.5MB
docker.io/library/nginx latest e4720093a3c13 191MB
gcr.io/k8s-staging-cri-tools/hostnet-nginx-amd64 latest 1ee3f9825c42b 147MB
gcr.io/k8s-staging-cri-tools/test-image-predefined-group latest 84410ab6e30d9 5.11MB
$ cat pod-config.json
{
"metadata": {
"name": "nginx-sandbox",
"namespace": "default",
"attempt": 1,
"uid": "hdishd83djaidwnduwk28bcsb"
},
"log_directory": "/tmp",
"linux": {
}
}
$ cat container-config.json
{
"metadata": {
"name": "busybox"
},
"image":{
"image": "busybox"
},
"command": [
"top"
],
"log_path":"busybox.0.log",
"linux": {
}
}
$ crictl create f84dd361f8dc51518ed291fbadd6db537b0496536c1d2d6c05ff943ce8c9a54f container-config.json pod-config.json
3e025dd50a72d956c4f14881fbb5b1080c9275674e95fb67f965f6478a957d60
List containers and check the container is in Created state:
$ crictl ps -a
CONTAINER ID IMAGE CREATED STATE NAME ATTEMPT
3e025dd50a72d busybox 32 seconds ago Created busybox 0
$ crictl start 3e025dd50a72d956c4f14881fbb5b1080c9275674e95fb67f965f6478a957d60
3e025dd50a72d956c4f14881fbb5b1080c9275674e95fb67f965f6478a957d60
$ crictl ps
CONTAINER ID IMAGE CREATED STATE NAME ATTEMPT
3e025dd50a72d busybox About a minute ago Running busybox 0
crictl exec -i -t 3e025dd50a72d956c4f14881fbb5b1080c9275674e95fb67f965f6478a957d60 ls
bin dev etc home proc root sys tmp usr var
It is possible to start a container within a single command, whereas the image will be pulled automatically, too:
$ cat pod-config.json
{
"metadata": {
"name": "nginx-sandbox",
"namespace": "default",
"attempt": 1,
"uid": "hdishd83djaidwnduwk28bcsb"
},
"log_directory": "/tmp",
"linux": {
}
}
$ cat container-config.json
{
"metadata": {
"name": "busybox"
},
"image":{
"image": "busybox"
},
"command": [
"top"
],
"log_path":"busybox.0.log",
"linux": {
}
}
$ crictl run container-config.json pod-config.json
b25b4f26e342969eb40d05e98130eee0846557d667e93deac992471a3b8f1cf4
List containers and check the container is in Running state:
$ crictl ps
CONTAINER IMAGE CREATED STATE NAME ATTEMPT POD ID
b25b4f26e3429 busybox:latest 14 seconds ago Running busybox 0 158d7a6665ff3
$ crictl checkpoint --export=/path/to/checkpoint.tar 39fcdd7a4f1d4
39fcdd7a4f1d4
$ ls /path/to/checkpoint.tar
/path/to/checkpoint.tar
- See the Kubernetes.io Debugging Kubernetes nodes with crictl doc
- Visit kubernetes-sigs/cri-tools for more information.