Kubernetes Context in iTerm2’s Status Bar

This guide demonstrates displaying the current Kubernetes context in iTerm2’s Status Bar.

Note: This requires iTerm2 3.3+.

Install iTerm2 Shell Integration

iTerm2 > Install Shell Integration

This will add a line to your .bash_profile:

test -e "${HOME}/.iterm2_shell_integration.bash" && source "${HOME}/.iterm2_shell_integration.bash"

Add the kubecontext user variable

Before .iterm2_shell_integration.bash is loaded, add this function:

function iterm2_print_user_vars() {
  iterm2_set_user_var kubecontext $(kubectl config current-context)
}

The above command can be slow if the internet connection is slow. An alternative is to use this function:

function iterm2_print_user_vars() {
  iterm2_set_user_var kubecontext $(awk '/^current-context:/{print $2;exit;}' <~/.kube/config)
}

If you want to display the current namespace in your Status Bar as well, add this function instead:

function iterm2_print_user_vars() {
  iterm2_set_user_var kubecontext $(kubectl config current-context):$(kubectl config view --minify --output 'jsonpath={..namespace}')
}

Add kubecontext Status Bar component

1. iTerm2 > Preferences > Profiles > Session > Configure Status Bar
2. Drag a new Interpolated String component to Active Components.
3. Select the new component and click Configure Component.
4. Set String Value to \(user.kubecontext)