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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.

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Creating Manifests

Manifests in Ankra are created within Stacks. This ensures your manifests are bundled with related add-ons and can be deployed as a cohesive unit.
1

Navigate to Stacks

Go to the Stacks section in your cluster and click Create Stack (or edit an existing stack).
2

Add a Manifest

In the Stack Builder, click Add and select Manifest. You can:
  • Write your manifest YAML directly in the editor
  • Use the AI Assistant (⌘+J) to get manifest recommendations by describing what you need
3

Configure Dependencies

Arrange the order of resources if some depend on others. For example, ensure namespaces are created before deployments that use them.
4

Save and Deploy

Save your stack and deploy it to apply the manifests to your cluster. Monitor the deployment in the Operations section.
Use the AI Assistant to get recommendations for common manifests like namespaces, RBAC rules, ConfigMaps, and Secrets. Just press ⌘+J and describe what you need, then copy the suggested YAML into your manifest.

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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"]

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Encrypting Secrets with SOPS

When your manifests contain sensitive data like passwords, API keys, or credentials, use SOPS to encrypt them before storing in your GitOps repository.
1

Open the Manifest Editor

Edit a manifest within your stack by clicking on it in the Stack Builder.
2

Click the SOPS Button

In the manifest edit view, click the SOPS button in the toolbar to enable encryption for this manifest.
3

Select Fields to Encrypt

SOPS will encrypt the sensitive values (like data fields in Secrets) while keeping keys readable for easier Git diffs.
4

Save

Save your manifest. The encrypted values will be stored safely in your GitOps repository and decrypted automatically when deployed.
SOPS encryption requires initial setup. See SOPS Encryption for configuration instructions.
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.