KWOK
What it is
KWOK is a free, Apache-2.0 licensed toolkit that simulates Kubernetes nodes, pods, and other API resources. It is intended for creating large cluster environments quickly: the project says it can create 20 nodes or pods per second and reliably maintain 1,000 nodes and 100,000 pods. The `kwok` tool simulates resource lifecycles, while `kwokctl` creates and manages clusters. Users can set node types, labels, taints, capacities, conditions, and pod behaviors to explore scenarios and edge cases. KWOK works with Kubernetes API-compliant clients and tools, including kubectl, Helm, and Kui. Documentation includes integration examples for Argo, Istio, Kueue, Linkerd, Prometheus, Metrics Server, and Ray, and describes using Prometheus as a Grafana data source. It supports Linux, macOS, and Windows, with installation through Homebrew, WinGet, Go, or downloadable binaries. Kubernetes versions can be selected through the kubeVersion configuration option. Simulated pods do not run real workloads, so they cannot serve an HTTP response.
For and against
For
- Free and Apache-2.0 licensed
- Supports Linux, macOS, and Windows
- Works with kubectl, Helm, and Kui
- Configurable node and pod behaviors
Against
- Simulated pods do not run real workloads
- Cloud-provider integrations may delete nodes without provider IDs
The verdict
KWOK provides configurable Kubernetes resource simulation across multiple operating systems and works with common API-compliant tools. Its simulated pods do not perform actual workload behavior, an important boundary for testing.
Who it suits
KWOK suits developers and teams who need simulated Kubernetes clusters to exercise API clients, configurations, or edge cases without running real pod workloads.
Plans and prices
KWOK
Apache-2.0 licensed open-source toolkit · simulates Kubernetes nodes, pods, and clusters
Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
On the record
- Community support
- Users can reach the maintainers through GitHub issues and discussions or the Kubernetes #kwok and #kwok-dev Slack channels.kwok.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Configuration
- Users can configure node types, labels, taints, capacities, conditions, and pod behaviors to test scenarios and edge cases.kwok.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The project documents installation through Homebrew, WinGet, Go, and downloadable binaries.kwok.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The documentation includes integration examples for Argo, Istio, Kueue, Linkerd, Prometheus, Metrics Server, and Ray.kwok.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Known issue
- With AWS, GCP, or Azure cloud-provider integrations, nodes may be unexpectedly deleted if they lack provider IDs; the documentation recommends assigning a dummy providerID.kwok.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Kubernetes compatibility
- KWOK works with Kubernetes API-compliant tools and clients, including kubectl, Helm, and Kui.kwok.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Limitation
- KWOK simulates pods rather than running them, so a pod in a KWOK cluster does not perform real workload behavior such as serving an HTTP response.kwok.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Metrics
- KWOK documents enabling Prometheus for a cluster and using Prometheus as a Grafana data source.kwok.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Performance
- The project says KWOK can create 20 nodes or pods per second.kwok.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- KWOK simulates Kubernetes nodes, pods, and other API resources so users can set up clusters of thousands of nodes in seconds.kwok.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Scale
- The project says KWOK can reliably maintain 1,000 nodes and 100,000 pods.kwok.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Security and license
- The source repository identifies the project as Apache-2.0 licensed and links to a security policy.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Tools
- The project provides `kwok` to simulate resource lifecycles and `kwokctl` to create and manage clusters.kwok.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
