kftray

Project Overview

kftray and kftui are Kubernetes port-forwarding tools that automatically reconnect when pods restart. They share the same Rust backend and configuration files, using the Kubernetes Watch API to detect pod lifecycle events and automatically re-establish forwards. They support TCP and UDP through a proxy relay in your cluster, manage multiple forwards at once, and can log HTTP traffic for debugging.

Key Features

• Auto-reconnection: Automatically reconnects when pods restart
• Multiple forwards: Manage many forwards from a single interface
• TCP/UDP support: UDP forwarding through a cluster proxy relay
• HTTP traffic logs: Inspect requests/responses for debugging
• Reverse tunnel: Expose local services to the cluster/internet (ngrok-like)
• Auto SSL: Automatic SSL certificate generation for port forwards
• GitHub sync: Share configs with your team
• Custom kubeconfig: Use any kubeconfig path
• Hosts file management: Auto-update /etc/hosts entries
• System tray integration (desktop) and request replay (TUI)

Target Audience

• Kubernetes developers and operations engineers
• Teams who need stable port forwarding and remote debugging

Quick Start

1. Visit kftray.app/downloads to download
2. Install and launch kftray (desktop) or kftui (terminal)
3. Configure kubeconfig and port-forwarding rules
4. Start managing Kubernetes port forwards

Core Advantages

• Auto-reconnection without manual intervention
• TCP and UDP forwarding support
• Reverse tunnel for exposing local services
• Open-source and free, community-driven

System Requirements

• OS: Cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux)
• Architectures: x86_64, arm64