Kubernetes Dashboards: Lens, Octant, K9s, OpenLens, and Headlamp Compared
Introduction
Managing Kubernetes clusters exclusively through kubectl is feasible but not efficient. Kubernetes dashboards provide visual interfaces for monitoring cluster state, inspecting resources, debugging issues, and performing administrative tasks. The right dashboard reduces cognitive load and speeds up common operations significantly.
This article compares five popular Kubernetes UI tools: Lens, Octant, K9s, OpenLens, and Headlamp.
Lens: The Desktop IDE for Kubernetes
Lens was the most popular Kubernetes desktop IDE until the Mirantis acquisition introduced licensing changes. Lens provides a comprehensive desktop application with cluster management, real-time metrics, terminal access, and resource editing.
Key features include:
* Multi-cluster management with kubeconfig import.
* Real-time CPU and memory usage graphs for nodes, pods, and containers.
* Built-in terminal for pod exec access.
* Helm chart management with GUI deployment.
* Custom resource (CRD) support with YAML editing.
* Extensions API for custom functionality.
Lens' metrics require metrics-server or Prometheus installed on the cluster. Without metrics, the interface loses its most valuable real-time monitoring capability.
The licensing change requires Lens Desktop IDEs to be associated with a Lens account for clusters of 10+ nodes or commercial use. This drove the community fork to OpenLens.
OpenLens: The Open-Source Fork
OpenLens is a community-maintained fork of Lens created after Mirantis restricted the source code. It preserves Lens' features without account requirements or licensing restrictions.
OpenLens is distributed through GitHub releases and can be built from source. It maintains compatibility with Lens extensions while stripping the proprietary authentication layer. For teams preferring fully open-source tools, OpenLens provides the same experience as classic Lens.
The main risk is slower updates compared to Lens, as the OpenLens community must rebase changes from the upstream Lens codebase without access to the proprietary components.
Octant: VMware's Dashboard Project
Octant, originally developed by VMware (now Broadcom), is an open-source Kubernetes dashboard focused on application-level insights. It runs as a web server and can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines.
Octant's unique feature is resource navigation through linked views. Selecting a deployment shows related pods, services, configmaps, and ingresses in a connected graph. This visual dependency mapping is invaluable for understanding complex applications.
octant --kubeconfig ~/.kube/config --namespace my-app
Octant supports plugins written in any language. Plugin extensions add custom tabs, actions, and content views. Common plugins add cloud provider integrations, security scanning results, and custom resource management.
Octant's web-based architecture makes it suitable for shared team dashboards. However, development pace has slowed since the Broadcom acquisition, and the community is concerned about the project's long-term viability.
K9s: Terminal Power Tool
K9s is a terminal-based Kubernetes UI that provides vim-like navigation and keyboard shortcuts. It is ideal for engineers who prefer the terminal over graphical interfaces.
k9s --context prod --namespace default
K9s provides:
* Real-time pod logs with streaming and filtering.
* Resource editing with vi/nano integration.
* Port forwarding with simple key commands.
* Resource scaling and rolling restart.
* Context and namespace switching.
* Pulse view showing cluster health at a glance.
* Custom resource definitions and aliases.
K9s supports skins (themes) for customization and plugins for extensibility. The `:screendump` command captures terminal output, useful for documentation and incident reports.
For engineers comfortable with terminal workflows, K9s is often faster than any GUI dashboard. The trade-off is a steeper learning curve and no visual graph representation.
Headlamp: Web-Based Kubernetes UI
Headlamp is an open-source Kubernetes web UI from the team at Kinvolk (acquired by Microsoft). It runs as a desktop application or in-cluster web server.
Headlamp's design emphasizes security and flexibility. Plugin extensions are loaded as JavaScript bundles, enabling custom views without modifying core code. The plugin system supports custom resource forms, detail views, and navigation items.
# Run as desktop app
headlamp
# Run in cluster as web server
kubectl apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/headlamp-k8s/headlamp/main/kubernetes-headlamp.yaml
Headlamp's clean, modern interface supports multi-cluster management, namespace filtering, resource search, and quick YAML editing. Its in-cluster deployment mode is ideal for shared team dashboards without desktop app requirements.
Choosing the Right Dashboard
| Tool | Platform | Extensible | Metrics | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lens | Desktop | Extensions | Built-in | Full-featured desktop IDE |
| OpenLens | Desktop | Extensions | Built-in | Open-source enthusiasts |
| Octant | Web | Plugins | Cluster-based | Application-level insights |
| K9s | Terminal | Plugins | Cluster-based | Terminal power users |
| Headlamp | Desktop + Web | Plugins | Cluster-based | Customized web UI |
Conclusion
Kubernetes dashboards are not one-size-fits-all tools. Lens and OpenLens provide the most complete desktop experience with built-in metrics. K9s offers unmatched speed for terminal users. Octant's resource graph provides unique visual insights. Headlamp's dual deployment model and plugin system make it flexible for both individual and team use. The best practice is having multiple tools available — K9s for daily operations and a web or desktop UI for complex troubleshooting and team collaboration.