Debugging pods in Kubernetes can be done using several methods, including kubectl exec, kubectl logs, and the more powerful kubectl debug. These tools help you investigate application issues, environment misconfigurations, or even pod crashes. Here’s a quick overview of each method, followed by a more detailed explanation of ephemeral containers, which are key to advanced pod debugging.

Common Debugging Methods:

1. kubectl logs:
   • Use this to check the logs of a running or recently stopped pod. Logs can give you an idea of what caused the failure or abnormal behavior.
   • Example: kubectl logs <pod-name>
   • This will display logs from the specified container within the pod.
2. kubectl exec:
   • Allows you to run commands inside a running container. This is useful if the container already includes debugging tools like bash, curl, or ping.
   • Example: kubectl exec -it <pod-name> -- /bin/bash
   • This gives you access to the container’s shell, allowing you to inspect the container’s environment, check files, or run networking tools.
3. kubectl describe:
   • Use this command to get detailed information about a pod, including events, status, and reasons for failures.
   • Example: kubectl describe pod <pod-name>
4. kubectl debug:
   • Allows you to attach an ephemeral container to an existing pod or create a new debug pod. This is particularly useful when the container lacks debugging tools like bash or curl. It doesn’t affect the main container’s lifecycle and is great for troubleshooting production issues.
   • Example: kubectl debug <pod-name> -it --image=busybox