Kite Desktop (Beta)

Kite Desktop brings the Kubernetes workspace to your computer. Browse resources, manage Helm releases, inspect logs, and use the AI assistant without deploying a Kite server or creating a Kite account. Cluster access uses the credentials and Kubernetes permissions in your kubeconfig.

Download

Download Kite Desktop from the latest release →

Download the latest desktop package for your platform:

Platform	Requirements	Package
macOS	Apple Silicon (M1 or later), macOS 13+	kite-darwin-arm64.dmg
Windows	x64	kite-windows-amd64.exe
Windows portable	x64	kite-windows-amd64.zip

Desktop packages are published alongside Kite releases. If these files are not yet listed, the desktop packages have not been published for that release. The other command-line archives are not desktop installers.

Intel Mac and Linux desktop packages are not currently provided. You can still self-host Kite and use it in a browser.

Install and connect

1. macOS: open the DMG and drag Kite into Applications. Windows: run the installer, or extract the portable ZIP and open Kite.exe, keeping the included DLL alongside it.
2. Open Kite. It reads your default ~/.kube/config, or the files in KUBECONFIG when that environment variable is available to the app.
3. To connect another configuration, choose or drop a kubeconfig file in the import dialog. Select a cluster to start working.

macOS beta

The current macOS build is not notarized by Apple. If macOS blocks it, follow the system's Privacy & Security → Open Anyway flow after verifying that you downloaded it from the official Kite release.

What the desktop app adds

• Live kubeconfig sync. Changes to linked files update credentials and add or remove contexts, including after restarting Kite. Pasting YAML creates a one-time import instead.
• Independent windows. Keep Pod logs, terminals, a local kubectl terminal, or an AI conversation open while navigating the main workspace. Install kubectl locally to use the local kubectl terminal.
• Local port forwarding. Forward a Pod or Service port to your computer. Manage connections from the toolbar or the menu bar / system tray. Connections stay active as you navigate and stop when you quit Kite.

Manage linked kubeconfig files in Settings → Clusters. Removing a source stops synchronization and removes its connections from Kite; it does not delete the original file or Kubernetes resources. If a file becomes unreadable or invalid, Kite keeps the last valid configuration and shows the error in settings.

Cloud authentication

If your kubeconfig uses an exec authentication helper, that command must be installed and authenticated on the same computer. Kite uses the helper referenced by your kubeconfig; it does not bundle AWS CLI, Google Cloud CLI, or other provider tools.

On macOS, Kite also looks in the usual Homebrew locations, ~/.krew/bin, and ~/.local/bin. For tools installed elsewhere, use an absolute executable path in your kubeconfig or make the command available in the app's PATH. A command that works only through your terminal's shell setup may not be available when Kite starts from Finder.

Cloud authentication flows are still being validated during beta. If a connection fails, check the helper's installation, executable path, and login state on your computer.

Desktop or self-hosted?

Use Desktop for your own local workspace and existing cluster credentials. For a shared web console with Kite accounts, centralized authentication, and team access management, follow the self-hosted installation guide.