Kubernetes Node Debugging Cheat Sheet

kubectl get nodes -o custom-columns=NAME:.metadata.name,READY:.status.conditions[?(@.type=="Ready")].status,MEM:.status.conditions[?(@.type=="MemoryPressure")].status,DISK:.status.conditions[?(@.type=="DiskPressure")].status,PID:.status.conditions[?(@.type=="PIDPressure")].status

# Compact view for Ready and pressure-related conditions.

## Node Debug Shell

Open a debug shell on a node

↗#

kubectl debug node/<node> -it --image=busybox:1.36

# Create a privileged debug pod on the node for investigation.

Open a richer debug shell on a node

↗#

kubectl debug node/<node> -it --image=ubuntu:24.04

# Use a fuller image when you need common networking tools.

Chroot into the host filesystem

↗#

chroot /host

# After opening a node debug shell, enter the host rootfs.

Read kubelet logs from the node

↗#

journalctl -u kubelet --no-pager | tail -n 200

# Inside a node shell on systemd-based hosts, inspect kubelet logs.

List containers with crictl

↗#

crictl ps -a

# Inspect CRI-level state from the node.

List pod sandboxes with crictl

↗#

crictl pods

# View pod sandboxes at the CRI layer.

## Scheduling and Maintenance

Cordon a node

↗#

kubectl cordon <node>

# Prevent new pods from being scheduled onto a node.

Uncordon a node

↗#

kubectl uncordon <node>

# Return a node to normal scheduling.

Drain a node

↗#

kubectl drain <node> --ignore-daemonsets --delete-emptydir-data

# Evict workloads before maintenance or replacement.

List pods on a specific node

↗#

kubectl get pods -A --field-selector spec.nodeName=<node> -o wide

# See which workloads are affected by a node problem.

List DaemonSets

↗#

kubectl get daemonsets -A

# Verify whether node-level agents are missing or unhealthy.

## Control Plane and System Pods

List kube-system pods

↗#

kubectl get pods -n kube-system -o wide

# Inspect control plane and addon health quickly.

Describe kube-proxy pod

↗#

kubectl describe pod -n kube-system <kube-proxy-pod>

# Inspect node networking agent events and status.

Read kube-proxy logs

↗#

kubectl logs -n kube-system <kube-proxy-pod>

# Check proxy sync failures and iptables/ipvs issues.

Find node problem detector pods

↗#

kubectl get pods -n kube-system | grep -i node-problem-detector

# If used, inspect node problem detector coverage.

More in Kubernetes Debugging

Kubernetes Logs and Events Cheat Sheet

Find pod logs, previous container logs, event timelines, kube-system logs, and cluster incident evidence quickly.

Kubernetes Network Debugging Cheat Sheet

Debug Services, DNS, Ingress, network policies, connectivity, endpoints, and port-forwarding issues.

Kubernetes Pod Debugging Cheat Sheet

Troubleshoot Pending, CrashLoopBackOff, image pull, readiness, liveness, and init container problems.

Kubernetes Debugging Cheat Sheet

Core kubectl troubleshooting commands for pods, deployments, services, events, logs, exec sessions, and ephemeral debugging.

Recommended next

No recommendations yet.

Browse all sheets →