Quick Start
Create your first port-forward configuration, start it and verify the connection.
Forward a Kubernetes web service to localhost:8080 and check the connection with curl.
Prerequisites
- kftray or kftui installed
- A running Kubernetes cluster you can reach through
kubeconfig - A running service. The examples use a web service on port
80.
Check your cluster access first:
kubectl get services -n defaultStep 1: Create a Configuration
Launch kftray. The main window opens on start. If it is hidden, click the system tray icon to open it again.
Click the + button in the footer.
Fill in the configuration form:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Workload type | service |
| Context | my-cluster |
| Namespace | default |
| Service | my-service |
| Protocol | tcp |
| Local Port | 8080 |
| Remote Port | 80 |
| Alias | web |
Click "Save".
Step 2: Start the Port Forward
Toggle the switch next to your web config, or click "Start All" to start every forward.
A green status indicator means the connection is active.
Step 3: Verify the Connection
Test that traffic flows through the forward:
curl http://localhost:8080You should see the response from your Kubernetes service. For database services, point your client at localhost:LOCAL_PORT as usual.
Step 4: Test Automatic Reconnection
Restart the target pod to see automatic reconnection:
kubectl rollout restart deployment/my-service -n defaultkftray briefly shows a reconnection attempt before the status returns to green (running).
If a start doesn't finish within 60 seconds, for example because no pod becomes Ready, it fails. See port forwarding for common problems.
On first start, the desktop app also asks whether it may send crash reports and performance data. Nothing is sent before you answer. See crash reports.