<a id="co-quickstart-install-plugin"></a>

# Quick Start to Install Confluent kubectl Plugin

Install and use the Confluent kubectl plugin after completing a quick
start. The Confluent for Kubernetes (CFK) bundle contains this plugin for interacting with
Confluent for Kubernetes.

## Prerequisites

- Complete the [Quick Start with KRaft](co-quickstart-kraft.md#co-quickstart-kraft) or
  [Quick Start with ZooKeeper](co-quickstart-zk.md#co-quickstart-zk), ensuring that Confluent Platform
  remains deployed.

## Steps

1. Download the CFK bundle:
   ```bash
   curl -O https://packages.confluent.io/bundle/cfk/confluent-for-kubernetes-3.3.0.tar.gz
   ```

   Expected: The bundle downloads to your current directory as a
   `.tar.gz` file named `confluent-for-kubernetes-` followed by the
   release version.
2. Unpack the downloaded bundle:
   ```bash
   tar -xzf confluent-for-kubernetes-3.3.0.tar.gz
   ```

   Expected: A directory named `confluent-for-kubernetes-` followed by
   the release version and a build ID is created in your current
   directory, for example, `confluent-for-kubernetes-3.3.0-20260709151700`.
3. Check the machine’s architecture:
   ```bash
   arch
   ```

   Expected: Your machine’s architecture, for example, `x86_64` or
   `aarch64` on Linux, or `arm64` on macOS. Use `amd64` in the next
   step for an `x86_64` machine, and `arm64` for an `aarch64` or
   `arm64` machine.
4. Unpack the kubectl plugin that matches your client environment, Linux,
   Windows or macOS (Darwin), into your client environment local
   executables directory. On macOS and Linux, the directory is
   `/usr/local/bin/`. This enables kubectl to locate the plugin. Use the
   architecture you retrieved in the previous step (`amd64` or
   `arm64`):
   ```bash
   tar -xvf kubectl-plugin/kubectl-confluent-<environment>-<architecture>.tar.gz \
      -C <local directory for the plugin>
   ```

   For example, on macOS with the `arm64` architecture type:
   ```bash
   tar -xvf kubectl-plugin/kubectl-confluent-darwin-arm64.tar.gz \
      -C /usr/local/bin/
   ```

   Expected: The archive contents, including the `kubectl-confluent`
   binary, are extracted into the target directory.

   #### NOTE
   If `/usr/local/bin/` is not writable by your user, prefix the
   command with `sudo`.
5. Open Control Center.
   ```bash
   kubectl confluent dashboard controlcenter
   ```

   Expected: Your default browser opens to the Control Center login page at
   `http://localhost:9021`.
6. View the Confluent Platform version.
   ```bash
   kubectl confluent version
   ```

   Expected: A table listing each deployed component, such as `Kafka` and
   `ControlCenter`, with its `VERSION` and `OPERATOR-VERSION`.

For more plugin commands, such as viewing external and internal endpoints or
checking cluster access, see [Confluent plugin](co-configure-overview.md#co-plugin). To install the plugin using
Krew instead, or to upgrade an existing installation, see
[Confluent plugin](co-deploy-cfk.md#co-install-plugin).

## Next steps

- To plan a production deployment, see [Plan for Confluent Platform Deployment Using Confluent for Kubernetes](co-plan.md#co-plan).
- To install and manage connectors, see [Install connector plugin](co-configure-connect.md#co-install-connector-plugin).