---
stage: Configure
group: Configure
info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
---

# Installing the agent for Kubernetes **(FREE)**

> - [Moved](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/6290) from GitLab Premium to GitLab Free in 14.5.
> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/cluster-integration/gitlab-agent/-/merge_requests/594) multi-arch images in GitLab 14.8. The first multi-arch release is `v14.8.1`. It supports AMD64 and ARM64 architectures.
> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/cluster-integration/gitlab-agent/-/merge_requests/603) ARM architecture support in GitLab 14.9.

To connect a Kubernetes cluster to GitLab, you must install an agent in your cluster.

## Prerequisites

Before you can install the agent in your cluster, you need:

- An existing Kubernetes cluster. If you don't have a cluster, you can create one on a cloud provider, like:
  - [Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/docs/quickstart)
  - [Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/eks/latest/userguide/getting-started.html)
  - [Digital Ocean](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/kubernetes/quickstart/)
- On self-managed GitLab instances, a GitLab administrator must set up the [agent server](../../../../administration/clusters/kas.md).
  On GitLab.com, the agent server is available at `wss://kas.gitlab.com`.

## Installation steps

To install the agent in your cluster:

1. [Register the agent with GitLab](#register-the-agent-with-gitlab).
1. [Install the agent in your cluster](#install-the-agent-in-the-cluster).

<i class="fa fa-youtube-play youtube" aria-hidden="true"></i> Watch a GitLab 14.2 [walk-through of this process](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuBpKtsgGkE).

### Register the agent with GitLab

> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/5786) in GitLab 14.1, you can create a new agent record directly from the GitLab UI.
> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/347240) in GitLab 14.9, the agent can be registered without creating an agent configuration file.

You must register an agent with GitLab.

FLAG:
In GitLab 14.10, a [flag](../../../../administration/feature_flags.md) named `certificate_based_clusters` changed the **Actions** menu to focus on the agent rather than certificates. The flag is [enabled on GitLab.com and self-managed](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/configure/-/epics/8).

Prerequisites:

- For a [GitLab CI/CD workflow](../ci_cd_tunnel.md), ensure that
  [GitLab CI/CD is enabled](../../../../ci/enable_or_disable_ci.md#enable-cicd-in-a-project).

To register an agent with GitLab:

1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Projects** and find your project.
1. From the left sidebar, select **Infrastructure > Kubernetes clusters**.
1. Select **Connect a cluster (agent)**.
   - If you want to create a configuration with CI/CD defaults, type a name for the agent.
   - If you already have an [agent configuration file](#create-an-agent-configuration-file), select it from the list.
1. Select **Register an agent**.
1. GitLab generates an access token for the agent. Securely store this token. You need it to install the agent in your cluster and to [update the agent](#update-the-agent-version) to another version.
1. Copy the command under **Recommended installation method**. You need it when you use the one-liner installation method to install the agent in your cluster.

### Create an agent configuration file

> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/259669) in GitLab 13.7, the agent configuration file can be added to multiple directories (or subdirectories) of the repository.
> - Group authorization was [introduced](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/5784) in GitLab 14.3.

The agent is configured through a configuration file. This file is optional. Without a configuration file, you can still use the CI/CD workflow in the project where the agent is registered.

You need a configuration file if:

- You want to use [a GitOps workflow](../gitops.md#gitops-configuration-reference).
- You want to authorize a different project to use the agent for a [GitLab CI/CD workflow](../ci_cd_tunnel.md#authorize-the-agent).

To create an agent configuration file, go to the GitLab project. In the repository, create a file called `config.yaml` at this path:

```plaintext
.gitlab/agents/<agent-name>/config.yaml
```

- Ensure the agent name follows the [naming convention](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/cluster-integration/gitlab-agent/-/blob/master/doc/identity_and_auth.md#agent-identity-and-name).
- Ensure the filename has the `.yaml` file extension (`config.yaml`). The `.yml` extension is not accepted.
- Add content to the `config.yaml` file:
  - For a GitOps workflow, view [the configuration reference](../gitops.md#gitops-configuration-reference) for details.
  - For a GitLab CI/CD workflow, you can leave the file blank for now.

### Install the agent in the cluster

> Introduced in GitLab 14.10, GitLab recommends using Helm to install the agent.

To connect your cluster to GitLab, install the registered agent
in your cluster. You can either:

- [Install the agent with Helm](#install-the-agent-with-helm).
- Or, follow the [advanced installation method](#advanced-installation-method).

If you do not know which one to choose, we recommend starting with Helm.

#### Install the agent with Helm

To install the agent on your cluster using Helm:

1. [Install Helm](https://helm.sh/docs/intro/install/)
1. In your computer, open a terminal and [connect to your cluster](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/access-application-cluster/access-cluster/).
1. Run the command you copied when registering your agent with GitLab.

Optionally, you can [customize the Helm installation](#customize-the-helm-installation).

##### Customize the Helm installation

By default, the Helm installation command generated by GitLab:

- Creates a namespace `gitlab-agent` for the deployment (`--namespace gitlab-agent`). You can skip creating the namespace by omitting the `--create-namespace` flag.
- Sets up a service account for the agent with `cluster-admin` rights. You can:
  - Skip creating the service account by adding `--set serviceAccount.create=false` to the `helm install` command. In this case, you must set `serviceAccount.name` to a pre-existing service account.
  - Skip creating the RBAC permissions by adding `--set rbac.create=false` to the `helm install` command. In this case, you must bring your own RBAC permissions for the agent. Otherwise, it has no permissions at all.
- Creates a `Secret` resource for the agent's access token. To instead bring your own secret with a token, omit the token (`--set token=...`) and instead use `--set config.secretName=<your secret name>`.
- Creates a `Deployment` resource for the `agentk` pod.

To see the full list of customizations available, see the Helm chart's [default values file](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/charts/gitlab-agent/-/blob/main/values.yaml).

#### Advanced installation method

GitLab also provides a [KPT package for the agent](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/cluster-integration/gitlab-agent/-/tree/master/build/deployment/gitlab-agent). This method provides greater flexibility, but is only recommended for advanced users.

## Install multiple agents in your cluster

To install a second agent in your cluster, you can follow the [previous steps](#register-the-agent-with-gitlab) a second time. To avoid resource name collisions within the cluster, you must either:

- Use a different release name for the agent, e.g. `second-gitlab-agent`:

  ```shell
  helm upgrade --install second-gitlab-agent gitlab/gitlab-agent ...
  ```

- Or, install the agent in a different namespace, e.g. `different-namespace`:

  ```shell
  helm upgrade --install gitlab-agent gitlab/gitlab-agent \
    --namespace different-namespace \
    ...
  ```

## Example projects

The following example projects can help you get started with the agent.

- [Configuration repository with minimal manifests](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-examples/ops/gitops-demo/k8s-agents)
- [Distinct application and manifest repository example](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-examples/ops/gitops-demo/hello-world-service-gitops)
- [Auto DevOps setup that uses the CI/CD workflow](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-examples/ops/gitops-demo/hello-world-service)
- [Cluster management project template example that uses the CI/CD workflow](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-examples/ops/gitops-demo/cluster-management)

## Updates and version compatibility

> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/340882) in GitLab 14.8, GitLab warns you on the agent's list page to update the agent version installed on your cluster.

For the best experience, the version of the agent installed in your cluster should match the GitLab major and minor version. The previous minor version is also supported. For example, if your GitLab version is v14.9.4 (major version 14, minor version 9), then versions v14.9.0 and v14.9.1 of the agent are ideal, but any v14.8.x version of the agent is also supported. See [this page](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/cluster-integration/gitlab-agent/-/releases) of releases of the GitLab agent.

### Update the agent version

To update the agent to the latest version, you can run:

```shell
helm repo update
helm upgrade --install gitlab-agent gitlab/gitlab-agent \
  --namespace gitlab-agent \
  --reuse-values
```

To set a specific version, you can override the `image.tag` value. For example, to install version `v14.9.1`, run:

```shell
helm upgrade gitlab-agent gitlab/gitlab-agent \
  --namespace gitlab-agent \
  --reuse-values \
  --set image.tag=v14.9.1
```

## Uninstall the agent

If you [installed the agent with Helm](#install-the-agent-with-helm), then you can also uninstall with Helm. For example, if the release and namespace are both called `gitlab-agent`, then you can uninstall the agent using the following command:

```shell
helm uninstall gitlab-agent \
    --namespace gitlab-agent
```