Pull Request: Add Dry-Run Mode to Kubectl MCP Tool

[Adesoji1]

Summary
This pull request introduces a new dry-run mode to the Kubectl MCP Tool. Dry-run mode allows users to simulate mutating operations (such as creating, deleting, or scaling resources) without applying any changes to their Kubernetes clusters. This feature is especially useful for testing, debugging, and ensuring the correctness of commands before executing them in a production environment.

Changes Made
CLI Enhancements:

Added a new command-line flag --dry-run in the CLI (kubectl_mcp_tool/cli.py).

When enabled, the flag sets an environment variable (e.g., KUBECTL_MCP_DRY_RUN=1) that signals dry-run mode across the tool.

Core Command Execution:

Modified the _run_kubectl_command function in kubectl_mcp_tool/mcp_kubectl_tool.py to check for the dry-run environment variable.

For any mutating operations (commands starting with apply, delete, create, or scale), the function now returns a simulated command string rather than executing the actual kubectl command.

Documentation Updates:

Updated the README.md to include a new section on how to run the server in dry-run mode and test it using a provided create_pod.py snippet.

This section outlines step-by-step instructions to verify that dry-run mode intercepts mutating commands and simulates the operation.

Advantages
Safety: Users can preview the exact commands that would be executed without modifying any cluster resources. This minimizes risks associated with accidental deployments or deletions.

Testing & Debugging: Developers and operators can verify the behavior of complex operations and natural language command translations in a non-destructive manner.

Enhanced Confidence: By simulating changes before applying them, users can ensure that their intended operations are correct, which is particularly beneficial in CI/CD pipelines or when integrating with AI assistants.

Testing
I have tested the feature by:

Running the MCP server with the --dry-run flag.

Executing a simulated pod creation command using the provided create_pod.py script.

Confirming that the output indicates the command was simulated (e.g., "Dry-run mode: Command simulated: kubectl apply -f /tmp/tmpabcd.yaml").

Please review the changes, and let me know if you have any questions or require further modifications.

[rohitg00]

Can you please add screenshots of the output running dry run? Thanks.

[Adesoji1]

sure :

[rohitg00]

Hello,

I would love to see you trying out a dry run by configuring MCP with Claude, cursor, or windsurf.

Sorry for asking you to do it.

Thanks

[Adesoji1]

Sure

…

On Thu, 27 Mar 2025, 5:32 pm Rohit Ghumare, ***@***.***> wrote: Hello, I would love to see you trying out a dry run by configuring MCP with Claude, cursor, or windsurf. Sorry for asking you to do it. Thanks — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#1 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AE4COXCQWNJ3JABTWTH2F5L2WQKZNAVCNFSM6AAAAABZ2AI4JSVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDONJYGY3TCNRUG4> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***> [image: rohitg00]*rohitg00* left a comment (rohitg00/kubectl-mcp-server#1) <#1 (comment)> Hello, I would love to see you trying out a dry run by configuring MCP with Claude, cursor, or windsurf. Sorry for asking you to do it. Thanks — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#1 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AE4COXCQWNJ3JABTWTH2F5L2WQKZNAVCNFSM6AAAAABZ2AI4JSVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDONJYGY3TCNRUG4> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>