Chapter 3. OpenShift CLI Manager 3.1. CLI Manager Operator overview Important Using the CLI Manager Operator to install and manage plugins for the OpenShift CLI is a Technology Preview feature only. Technology Preview features are not supported with Red Hat production service level agreements (SLAs) and might not be functionally complete. Red Hat does not recommend using them in production. These features provide early access to upcoming product features, enabling customers to test functionality and provide feedback during the development process. For more information about the support scope of Red Hat Technology Preview features, see Technology Preview Features Support Scope . 3.1.1. About the CLI Manager Operator The CLI Manager Operator makes it easier to install and update CLI plugins. It runs in both connected and disconnected environments, and it is particularly useful in disconnected environments. Cluster administrators can add CLI plugins and plugin updates to the CLI Manager Operator, and users can then install and update CLI plugins when needed regardless of whether or not the environment is disconnected. 3.2. CLI Manager Operator release notes With the CLI Manager Operator, you can install CLI plugins in both connected and disconnected environments. Important Using the CLI Manager Operator to install and manage plugins for the OpenShift CLI is a Technology Preview feature only. Technology Preview features are not supported with Red Hat production service level agreements (SLAs) and might not be functionally complete. Red Hat does not recommend using them in production. These features provide early access to upcoming product features, enabling customers to test functionality and provide feedback during the development process. For more information about the support scope of Red Hat Technology Preview features, see Technology Preview Features Support Scope . These release notes track the development of the CLI Manager Operator for OpenShift Container Platform. For more information about the CLI Manager Operator, see About the CLI Manager Operator . 3.2.1. CLI Manager Operator 0.1.1 (Technology Preview) Issued: 12 March 2025 The following advisory is available for the CLI Manager Operator 0.1.1: RHEA-2025:2680 3.2.1.1. New features and enhancements This release of the CLI Manager updates the Kubernetes version to 1.32. 3.2.2. CLI Manager Operator 0.1.0 (Technology Preview) Issued: 19 November 2024 The following advisory is available for the CLI Manager Operator 0.1.0: RHEA-2024:8303 3.2.2.1. New features and enhancements This version is the initial Technology Preview release of the CLI Manager Operator. For installation information, see Installing the CLI Manager Operator . 3.3. Installing the CLI Manager Operator Note Krew always works with OpenShift CLI ( oc ) without the CLI Manager Operator installed. You can use the same commands outlined in this documentation to use Krew with oc . For more information, see Krew documentation . You can run the CLI Manager Operator in both connected and disconnected environments. In particular, it eases the installation and management of CLI plugins in disconnected environments. The CLI Manager Operator makes Krew compatible with the oc CLI. Cluster administrators can use the CLI Manager Operator to add CLI plugin custom resources that can then be accessed in both connected and disconnected environments. Cluster administrators install and configure the CLI Manager Operator, and users then add the custom index to Krew and add CLI plugins to the CLI Manager Operator. Important Using the CLI Manager Operator to install and manage plugins for the OpenShift CLI is a Technology Preview feature only. Technology Preview features are not supported with Red Hat production service level agreements (SLAs) and might not be functionally complete. Red Hat does not recommend using them in production. These features provide early access to upcoming product features, enabling customers to test functionality and provide feedback during the development process. For more information about the support scope of Red Hat Technology Preview features, see Technology Preview Features Support Scope . 3.3.1. Installing the CLI Manager Operator Install the CLI Manager Operator to facilitate adding CLI plugins in both connected and disconnected environments. Prerequisites Krew is installed . You are logged in to OpenShift Container Platform as a user with the cluster-admin role. You have access to the OpenShift Container Platform web console. Procedure Log in to the OpenShift Container Platform web console. Create the required namespace for the CLI Manager Operator: Navigate to Administration Namespaces and click Create Namespace . In the Name field, enter openshift-cli-manager-operator and click Create . Install the CLI Manager Operator: Navigate to Operators OperatorHub . In the filter box, enter CLI Manager Operator . Select the CLI Manager Operator and click Install . On the Install Operator page, complete the following steps: Ensure that the Update channel is set to tech preview , which installs the latest Technology Preview release of the CLI Manager Operator. From the drop-down menu, select A specific namespace on the cluster and select openshift-cli-manager-operator . Click Install . Create the CliManager resource by completing the following steps: Navigate to Installed Operators . Select CLI Manager Operator . Select the CLI Manager tab. Click Create CliManager . Use the default Name . Click Create . The new CliManager resource is listed in the CLI Manager tab. Verification Navigate to Operators Installed Operators . Verify that CLI Manager Operator is listed with a Status of Succeeded . 3.3.2. Adding the CLI Manager Operator custom index to Krew You can use the terminal to add the CLI manager custom index to Krew. This procedure is required for the CLI Manager Operator to function correctly and needs to be done only once. The custom index connects Krew to the CLI Manager Operator binaries and enables the CLI Manager Operator to work in disconnected environments. Note If you use self-signed certificates, mark the certificate as trusted on your local operating system to use Krew. Prerequisites Krew is installed . The CLI Manager Operator is installed. Procedure To establish the ROUTE variable, enter the following command: USD ROUTE=USD(oc get route/openshift-cli-manager -n openshift-cli-manager-operator -o=jsonpath='{.spec.host}') To add the custom index to Krew, enter the following command: USD oc krew index add <custom_index_name> https://USDROUTE/cli-manager To update Krew, enter the following command and check for any errors: USD oc krew update Example output Updated the local copy of plugin index. Updated the local copy of plugin index <custom_index_name>. New plugins available: * ocp/<plugin_name> 3.3.3. Adding a plugin to the CLI Manager Operator You can add a CLI plugin to the CLI Manager Operator by using the YAML View. Prerequisites You are logged in to OpenShift Container Platform as a user with the cluster-admin role. The CLI Manager Operator is installed. Procedure Log in to the OpenShift Container Platform web console. Navigate to Operators Installed Operators . From the list, select CLI Manager Operator . Select the CLI Plugin tab. Click Create Plugin . In the text box, enter the information for the plugin you are installing. See the following example YAML file. Example YAML file to add a plugin apiVersion: config.openshift.io/v1alpha1 kind: Plugin metadata: name: <plugin_name> 1 spec: description: <description_of_plugin> homepage: <plugin_homepage> platforms: - bin: 2 files: - from: <plugin_file_path> to: . image: <plugin_image> imagePullSecret: 3 platform: <platform> 4 shortDescription: <short_description_of_plugin> version: <version> 5 1 The name of the plugin you plan to use in commands. 2 Bin specifies the path to the plugin executable. 3 Optional: If the registry is not public, add a pull secret to access your plugin image. 4 Add the architecture for your system; for example, linux/amd64 , darwin/arm64 , windows/amd64 , or another architecture. 5 Version must be in v0.0.0 format. Click Save . Verification Enter the following command to see if the plugin is listed and has been added successfully: USD oc get plugin/<plugin_name> -o yaml Example output <plugin_name> ready to be served. 3.4. Using the CLI Manager Operator After the cluster administrator sets up and configures the CLI Manager Operator, users can use it to install, update, and uninstall CLI plugins. Important Using the CLI Manager Operator to install and manage plugins for the OpenShift CLI is a Technology Preview feature only. Technology Preview features are not supported with Red Hat production service level agreements (SLAs) and might not be functionally complete. Red Hat does not recommend using them in production. These features provide early access to upcoming product features, enabling customers to test functionality and provide feedback during the development process. For more information about the support scope of Red Hat Technology Preview features, see Technology Preview Features Support Scope . 3.4.1. Installing CLI plugins with the CLI Manager Operator You can install CLI plugins using the CLI Manager Operator. Prerequisites You have installed Krew by following the installation procedure in the Krew documentation. The CLI Manager is installed. The CLI Manager custom index has been added to Krew. You are using OpenShift Container Platform 4.17 or later. Procedure To list all available plugins, run the following command: USD oc krew search To get information about a plugin, run the following command: USD oc krew info <plugin_name> To install a plugin, run the following command: USD oc krew install <plugin_name> To list all plugins that were installed by Krew, run the following command: USD oc krew list 3.4.2. Upgrading a plugin with the CLI Manager Operator You can upgrade a CLI plugin to a newer version with the CLI Manager Operator. Prerequisites You are logged in to OpenShift Container Platform as a user with the cluster-admin role. The CLI Manager Operator is installed. The plugin you are upgrading is installed. Procedure Using the CLI, enter the following command: oc edit plugin/<plugin_name> Edit the YAML file to include the new specifications for your plugin. Example YAML file to upgrade a plugin apiVersion: config.openshift.io/v1alpha1 kind: Plugin metadata: name: <plugin_name> 1 spec: description: <description_of_plugin> homepage: <plugin_homepage> platforms: - bin: 2 files: - from: <plugin_file_path> to: . image: <plugin_image> imagePullSecret: 3 platform: <platform> 4 shortDescription: <short_description_of_plugin> version: <version> 5 1 The name of the plugin you plan to use in commands. 2 Bin specifies the path to the plugin executable. 3 Optional: If the registry is not public, add a pull secret to access your plugin image. 4 Add the architecture for your system platform; for example, linux/amd64 , darwin/arm64 , windows/amd64 , or another architecture. 5 Version of the plugin, in v0.0.0 format. Save the file. 3.4.3. Updating CLI plugins with the CLI Manager Operator You can update a plugin that was installed for the OpenShift CLI ( oc ) with the CLI Manager Operator. Prerequisites You have installed Krew by following the installation procedure in the Krew documentation. The CLI Manager Operator is installed. The custom index has been added to Krew by the cluster administrator. The plugin updates have been added to the CLI Manager Operator by the cluster administrator. The plugin you are updating is already installed. Procedure To update a single plugin, run the following command: USD oc krew upgrade <plugin_name> To update all plugins that were installed by Krew, run the following command: USD oc krew upgrade 3.4.4. Uninstalling a CLI plugin with the CLI Manager Operator You can uninstall a plugin that was installed for the OpenShift CLI ( oc ) with the CLI Manager Operator. Prerequisites You have installed Krew by following the installation procedure in the Krew documentation. You have installed a plugin for the OpenShift CLI with the CLI Manager Operator. Procedure To uninstall a plugin, run the following command: USD oc krew uninstall <plugin_name> 3.5. Uninstalling the CLI Manager Operator You can remove the CLI Manager Operator from OpenShift Container Platform by uninstalling the CLI Manager Operator and removing its related resources. Important Using the CLI Manager Operator to install and manage plugins for the OpenShift CLI is a Technology Preview feature only. Technology Preview features are not supported with Red Hat production service level agreements (SLAs) and might not be functionally complete. Red Hat does not recommend using them in production. These features provide early access to upcoming product features, enabling customers to test functionality and provide feedback during the development process. For more information about the support scope of Red Hat Technology Preview features, see Technology Preview Features Support Scope . 3.5.1. Uninstalling the CLI Manager Operator You can uninstall the CLI Manager Operator by using the web console. Prerequisites You are logged in to OpenShift Container Platform as a user with the cluster-admin role. You have access to the OpenShift Container Platform web console. The CLI Manager Operator is installed. Procedure Log in to the OpenShift Container Platform web console. Uninstall the CLI Manager Operator by completing the following steps: Navigate to Operators Installed Operators . Click the Options menu to the CLI Manager Operator entry and click Uninstall Operator . In the confirmation dialog, click Uninstall . 3.5.2. Removing CLI Manager Operator resources Optionally, after you uninstall the CLI Manager Operator, you can remove its related resources from your cluster. Prerequisites You are logged in to OpenShift Container Platform as a user with the cluster-admin role. You have access to the OpenShift Container Platform web console. Procedure Log in to the OpenShift Container Platform web console. Remove the openshift-cli-manager-operator namespace: Navigate to Administration Namespaces . Click the Options menu to the openshift-cli-manager-operator entry and select Delete Namespace . In the confirmation dialog, enter openshift-cli-manager-operator in the field and click Delete .

Commands:
ROUTE=USD(oc get route/openshift-cli-manager -n openshift-cli-manager-operator -o=jsonpath='{.spec.host}')
oc krew index add <custom_index_name> https://USDROUTE/cli-manager
oc krew update
Updated the local copy of plugin index. Updated the local copy of plugin index <custom_index_name>. New plugins available: * ocp/<plugin_name>
apiVersion: config.openshift.io/v1alpha1 kind: Plugin metadata: name: <plugin_name> 1 spec: description: <description_of_plugin> homepage: <plugin_homepage> platforms: - bin: 2 files: - from: <plugin_file_path> to: . image: <plugin_image> imagePullSecret: 3 platform: <platform> 4 shortDescription: <short_description_of_plugin> version: <version> 5
oc get plugin/<plugin_name> -o yaml
<plugin_name> ready to be served.
oc krew search
oc krew info <plugin_name>
oc krew install <plugin_name>
oc krew list
edit plugin/<plugin_name>
apiVersion: config.openshift.io/v1alpha1 kind: Plugin metadata: name: <plugin_name> 1 spec: description: <description_of_plugin> homepage: <plugin_homepage> platforms: - bin: 2 files: - from: <plugin_file_path> to: . image: <plugin_image> imagePullSecret: 3 platform: <platform> 4 shortDescription: <short_description_of_plugin> version: <version> 5
oc krew upgrade <plugin_name>
oc krew upgrade
oc krew uninstall <plugin_name>