How to Sign In to the Kubernetes Dashboard

The Kubernetes Dashboard is a web-based UI that lets you manage and monitor your cluster visually. Signing in for the first time can be confusing, especially with the different authentication methods available. In this guide, you'll learn how to access the dashboard, generate a login token, and follow best practices for secure access.

Prerequisites

You'll need:

• Access to a running Kubernetes cluster
• kubectl installed and configured
• The Kubernetes Dashboard deployed in your cluster

Step 1: Deploy the Kubernetes Dashboard (if needed)

If you haven't already installed the dashboard, you can deploy it with:

kubectl apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kubernetes/dashboard/v2.7.0/aio/deploy/recommended.yaml

This creates the dashboard and its required resources in the kubernetes-dashboard namespace.

Step 2: Start the Proxy

To access the dashboard securely from your local machine, start the kubectl proxy:

kubectl proxy

This command creates a secure tunnel to your cluster. The dashboard will be available at:

http://localhost:8001/api/v1/namespaces/kubernetes-dashboard/services/https:kubernetes-dashboard:/proxy/

Step 3: Create a Service Account and ClusterRoleBinding

The dashboard requires a token for authentication. Create a service account and bind it to the cluster-admin role (for demo or admin use):

kubectl create serviceaccount dashboard-admin-sa -n kubernetes-dashboard
kubectl create clusterrolebinding dashboard-admin-sa \
  --clusterrole=cluster-admin \
  --serviceaccount=kubernetes-dashboard:dashboard-admin-sa

Step 4: Get the Login Token

Retrieve the token for your service account with:

kubectl -n kubernetes-dashboard create token dashboard-admin-sa

Copy the output - this is your login token.

Step 5: Sign In to the Dashboard

• Open the dashboard URL in your browser.
• Select the Token option.
• Paste the token you copied earlier and click Sign In.

You should now have full access to the dashboard.

Troubleshooting Login Issues

• If you see a permissions error, double-check your service account and role binding.
• Make sure the dashboard pod is running: kubectl get pods -n kubernetes-dashboard
• If you can't access the dashboard URL, confirm that kubectl proxy is running and your firewall allows local connections.

Security Best Practices

• Only use cluster-admin for testing or admin tasks. For production, create a service account with limited permissions.
• Never expose the dashboard directly to the internet without authentication and network controls.
• Regularly rotate your tokens and review access logs.

Next Steps

Explore the dashboard's features, or set up role-based access control (RBAC) for more granular permissions. For production clusters, consider integrating with your organization's authentication provider for single sign-on and audit logging.