Document how to install kubectl convert plugin

[sftim]

This is a Feature Request

What would you like to be added
Update https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/tools/#kubectl (really, the 3 pages that it links to) to let readers know how to install kubectl-convert

Why is this needed

1. kubectl convert is now delivered as a plugin, not part of the main binary.
2. Kubernetes v1.22 includes lots of API removals and release v1.22 is the first time lots of readers will really notice the deprecations. However, there has been no API removal release since kubectl convert was moved to be a plugin.

Comments
/sig cli
/kind feature

/priority important-soon
(IMO)

[eddiezane]

ref: kubernetes/kubectl#725

[sftim]

It's there for the installing

$ curl -L -I https://dl.k8s.io/release/v1.21.0/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl-convert
HTTP/2 302 
server: nginx
date: Wed, 30 Jun 2021 23:06:44 GMT
content-type: text/html
content-length: 154
location: https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/v1.21.0/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl-convert
via: 1.1 google
alt-svc: clear

HTTP/2 200 
x-guploader-uploadid: ADPycdsaZMcxEnfiZZ1nzG3phfKLIehdSu7hXEGCVeIrUOnk2KrfRpl4PCNg5Zy9EryF9WsK-w70YFKS6zRwWo1EYpOlqxLDZQ
expires: Thu, 01 Jul 2021 00:06:44 GMT
date: Wed, 30 Jun 2021 23:06:44 GMT
cache-control: public, max-age=3600
last-modified: Thu, 08 Apr 2021 17:54:04 GMT
etag: "872a8ed0bd1878cb825c5c8be52b62bd"
x-goog-generation: 1617904444155458
x-goog-metageneration: 1
x-goog-stored-content-encoding: identity
x-goog-stored-content-length: 53419368
x-goog-meta-goog-reserved-file-mtime: 1617902423
content-type: application/octet-stream
x-goog-hash: crc32c=K2T6jA==
x-goog-hash: md5=hyqO0L0YeMuCXFyL5StivQ==
x-goog-storage-class: STANDARD
accept-ranges: bytes
content-length: 53419368
server: UploadServer
alt-svc: h3=":443"; ma=2592000,h3-29=":443"; ma=2592000,h3-T051=":443"; ma=2592000,h3-Q050=":443"; ma=2592000,h3-Q046=":443"; ma=2592000,h3-Q043=":443"; ma=2592000,quic=":443"; ma=2592000; v="46,43"

Where current docs say to fetch (eg) https://dl.k8s.io/release/v1.21.0/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl, let's tell them to install https://dl.k8s.io/release/v1.21.0/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl-convert as well.

[bhumijgupta]

Since kubectl-convert is a separate binary, should reference of the command from kubectl overview page also be removed?

[sftim]

/help

I'm willing to revise this issue description if it's not clear how to make these changes.

[k8s-ci-robot]

@sftim:
This request has been marked as needing help from a contributor.

Please ensure the request meets the requirements listed here.

If this request no longer meets these requirements, the label can be removed
by commenting with the /remove-help command.

In response to this:

/help

I'm willing to revise this issue description if it's not clear how to make these changes.

Instructions for interacting with me using PR comments are available here. If you have questions or suggestions related to my behavior, please file an issue against the kubernetes/test-infra repository.

[sftim]

/triage accepted

[sftim]

@bhumijgupta what you're asking sounds like a separate issue.

[bhumijgupta]

@sftim I would like to work on this issue. From what I understand, a new command to download kubectl-convert has to be added under the first point titled Download the latest release for all the three operating systems something like this.

Download kubectl-convert (optional)  
`curl -LO https://dl.k8s.io/release/$(curl -L -s https://dl.k8s.io/release/stable.txt)/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl-convert`

Does verifying checksum step also have to added for kubectl-convert?

[sftim]

Does verifying checksum step also have to added for kubectl-convert?

Yes, we should let readers know how to check that the software they download is genuine.

[sftim]

We should also briefly explain what kubectl convert does (a hyperlink is OK)

[bhumijgupta]

/assign

[bbugh]

@bhumijgupta the command line reference page still lists convert - https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/kubectl/overview/

[sftim]

I'm going to mark #28724 (comment) as off-topic; the original issue is resolved.

[piradata]

How is this issue resolved/closed?

I didn't found anywhere on the docs how to install the kubectl-convert plugin/binary, only found this info on a third-party site: https://pet2cattle.com/2022/06/kubectl-convert

This really should be better documented, and there is still a mention of this command on this page without any word about it being deprecated and transformed into a plugin/binary:
https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/using-api/deprecation-guide/#migrate-to-non-deprecated-apis

[sftim]

How is this issue resolved/closed?

I didn't found anywhere on the docs how to install the kubectl-convert plugin/binary, only found this info on a third-party site: https://pet2cattle.com/2022/06/kubectl-convert

Try this link:
https://www.google.com/search?q=install+kubectl+convert

For me, the top search result is to a page with a section “Install kubectl convert plugin”. I think this issue was OK to close.

[piradata]

For me, the top search result is to a page with a section “Install kubectl convert plugin”. I think this issue was OK to close.

Truly, didn't have found this section, thanks 😄

But i also didn't expected a deprecated command installation instructions would be directly on the page that teaches how to install the kubectl command itself, thought it would be in a plugins or deprecation apis section.

Can we at least add the link about how to install kubectl convert plugin on the page that teaches how to migrate to non deprecated apis?

That what people trying to migrate from 1.22 to 1.23 would find it easier. Opened a PR for this here #40737.

[tford-umd]

I'm on a macbook pro Ventura 13, M1 chip. I followed the instructions using ARM64 version. Step 3 didn't work, so I used this instead:

install -o $(whoami) -g $(id -gn) -m 0755 kubectl-convert /usr/local/bin/kubectl-convert

Which worked, but then, ran kubectl convert -help and got: "Error: exec format error"
Am I doing something wrong or does this plugin not work on Mac with M1?

[Gauravpadam]

Am I doing something wrong or does this plugin not work on Mac with M1?

@tford-umd You should try asking in Kubernetes slack channel