Local Kubernetes cluster (0.8)

One click gives you a Kubernetes cluster on this computer, with no remote server and no account. Use it to learn, try manifests and Helm charts, or test runbooks and Command Packs.

Launch it

Kubernetes extension: with no server connected, the Kubernetes view shows Launch local cluster. Click it.
Command palette: Launch Local Kubernetes Cluster.

Shellaro asks first, then creates the cluster (progress shows at the top) and opens the Local cluster session: a terminal with kubectl ready (alias k), SFTP and server usage, and the Kubernetes view filled in. The first launch downloads about 100 MB of images and takes a minute or two; later launches take about half a minute.

Requirements: Docker Desktop running (WSL 2 backend), about 1 GB of free memory.

What it is

Container	What	Reachable
`shellaro-local-k3s`	Single-node k3s (Kubernetes v1.31), privileged	Only inside the Docker network `shellaro-local-net`
`shellaro-local-toolbox`	Alpine with sshd, kubectl, bash, git, curl, jq, nano	SSH on `127.0.0.1:2299` (or another free port), only from this computer

The saved session Local cluster (environment Lab) logs in as dev with a key made for this cluster, stored in %APPDATA%\com.shellaro.app\local-cluster\. Its host key is recorded as trusted, so it connects without prompts.
kubectl's context is local-cluster. Traefik is not installed; services are reachable inside the cluster, or from the toolbox (curl http://<service>.<namespace>).
Both containers restart with Docker Desktop until you stop them.

Start, stop, delete

Action	Where	What happens
Stop	Kubernetes view (Local cluster row) or palette	Containers stop; everything in the cluster is kept
Start	Kubernetes view (Start local cluster) or palette	Containers start and the session opens
Delete	Kubernetes view or palette (asks first)	Containers, network, key, trusted host key and the session are removed. The images stay cached; remove them with `docker rmi rancher/k3s:v1.31.4-k3s1 shellaro/toolbox:1`

For extensions

Extensions with the local.cluster permission (Medium) can call shellaro.localCluster status / launch / start / stop / delete / open (API). Creating and deleting always show Shellaro's own confirmation, naming the extension. An extension that launched the cluster may run its background commands there without the extra per-server consent, because you just approved it.