Manifests are the foundation for customizing your Kubernetes clusters in Ankra. They allow you to define, automate, and standardize resources and configurations across all your environments.

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What is a Manifest?

A manifest is a YAML file that describes Kubernetes resources such as namespaces, ConfigMaps, CRDs, RBAC rules, deployments, and more. Manifests are declarative: you specify the desired state, and Kubernetes makes sure your cluster matches it.

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Why Use Manifests in Ankra?

Automate Cluster Setup

Automatically create all the resources you need (namespaces, roles, CRDs, and more) as part of cluster setup or stack deployment.

Ensure Consistency

Use the same manifest on multiple clusters to make sure every environment is set up the same way.

Prepare for Add-ons

Use manifests to set up things like CRDs or service accounts before installing add-ons, so everything works smoothly.

Version Control

Keep manifests in your repository to track changes, roll back if needed, and support GitOps workflows.
1

Create or Upload a Manifest

Write your manifest YAML or upload a file in the Ankra platform.
  • Go to the Manifests section.
  • Create a new manifest or upload your YAML file.
  • Review and check your configuration before saving.
2

Include Manifests in Stacks

Add manifests to a stack to automate setting up key resources along with your add-ons.
  • Go to the Stacks section and select or create a stack.
  • Add your manifests to the stack with your add-ons.
  • Arrange the order of resources if some depend on others.
3

Apply Manifests to Clusters

Deploy manifests to one or more clusters, either by themselves or as part of a stack rollout.
  • Pick the clusters you want to deploy to.
  • Apply the manifest and watch the rollout status.
  • Check that resources are created and set up as expected.

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Example Manifest

apiVersion: v1
kind: Namespace
metadata:
  name: monitoring
---
apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1
kind: Role
metadata:
  namespace: monitoring
  name: monitoring-reader
rules:
  - apiGroups: [""]
    resources: ["pods", "services"]
    verbs: ["get", "list"]
Manifests are a powerful way to automate, standardize, and scale your Kubernetes operations with Ankra. Learn more about Stacks →

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Explore the Manifests API

Want to automate manifest management or integrate with your CI/CD workflows? Check out the API Reference for endpoints to create, update, and apply manifests programmatically.