<commit_before>---
title: Install - Kong for Kubernetes
---

This installation topic guides you through installing and deploying Kong for Kubernetes (K4K8S), then directs you to the documentation for configuring and using the product.

## Prerequisites
- **Kubernetes cluster**: You can use [Minikube](https://kubernetes.io/docs/setup/minikube/) or a [GKE](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/) cluster. Kong is compatible with all distributions of Kubernetes.
- **kubectl access**: You should have `kubectl` installed and configured to communicate to your Kubernetes cluster.


## Installing Kong for Kubernetes
Use one of the following installation methods to install Kong for Kubernetes:
- [YAML manifests](#yaml-manifests)
- [Helm Chart](#helm-chart)
- [Kustomize](#kustomize)


### YAML manifests
To deploy Kong via `kubectl`, use:

```
kubectl apply -f https://bit.ly/kong-ingress-dbless
```

> Important! This is not a production-grade deployment. 
Adjust “knobs” based on your use case: 
- Replicas: Ensure that you are running multiple instances of Kong to protect against outages from a single node failure.
- Performance optimization: Adjust memory settings of Kong and tailor your deployment to your use case.
- Load-balancer: Ensure that you are running a Layer-4 or TCP based balancer in front of Kong. This allows Kong to serve a TLS certificate and integrate with a cert-manager.


### Helm Chart
Kong has an official Helm Chart. To deploy Kong onto your Kubernetes cluster with Helm, use:

```
helm repo update # get the latest charts
helm install stable/kong
```

For more information about using a Helm Chart, see Helm’s [Hub](https://hub.helm.sh/charts/stable/kong).


### Kustomize
Kong’s manifests for Kubernetes can be declaratively patched using Kubernetes’ [kustomize](https://kustomize.io/). An example of a remote custom build is:

```
kustomize build bit.ly/kong-kustomize-base
```<commit_msg>fix(k8s) correct link to kustomize based for k4k8s (#1690)<commit_after>---
title: Install - Kong for Kubernetes
---

This installation topic guides you through installing and deploying Kong for Kubernetes (K4K8S), then directs you to the documentation for configuring and using the product.

## Prerequisites
- **Kubernetes cluster**: You can use [Minikube](https://kubernetes.io/docs/setup/minikube/) or a [GKE](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/) cluster. Kong is compatible with all distributions of Kubernetes.
- **kubectl access**: You should have `kubectl` installed and configured to communicate to your Kubernetes cluster.


## Installing Kong for Kubernetes
Use one of the following installation methods to install Kong for Kubernetes:
- [YAML manifests](#yaml-manifests)
- [Helm Chart](#helm-chart)
- [Kustomize](#kustomize)


### YAML manifests
To deploy Kong via `kubectl`, use:

```
kubectl apply -f https://bit.ly/kong-ingress-dbless
```

> Important! This is not a production-grade deployment. 
Adjust “knobs” based on your use case: 
- Replicas: Ensure that you are running multiple instances of Kong to protect against outages from a single node failure.
- Performance optimization: Adjust memory settings of Kong and tailor your deployment to your use case.
- Load-balancer: Ensure that you are running a Layer-4 or TCP based balancer in front of Kong. This allows Kong to serve a TLS certificate and integrate with a cert-manager.


### Helm Chart
Kong has an official Helm Chart. To deploy Kong onto your Kubernetes cluster with Helm, use:

```
helm repo update # get the latest charts
helm install stable/kong
```

For more information about using a Helm Chart, see Helm’s [Hub](https://hub.helm.sh/charts/stable/kong).


### Kustomize
Kong’s manifests for Kubernetes can be declaratively patched using Kubernetes’ [kustomize](https://kustomize.io/). An example of a remote custom build is:

```
kustomize build github.com/kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller/deploy/manifests/base
```
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