If prompted, click Open to permit Cloud Code to open the
Google Cloud console.
In Google Cloud console, choose any configuration options that you want
to customize and then click Create.
After the cluster is created, in Cloud Code, click the
Refresh icon.
After the name of your new cluster appears in the list, click the cluster
name. Your new cluster is added to your kubeconfig and set as the default
context.
Tip: To create a Kubernetes cluster using the command palette, launch the
command palette (press Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+P or click View >
Command Palette) and then run the Cloud Code: Create GKE cluster
command.
Work with an existing GKE cluster
If you have an existing Standard or Autopilot GKE cluster, you
can set it as your active cluster and work with it using
Cloud Code.
Click Cloud Code and then expand the Kubernetes section.
Click addAdd a Cluster to the KubeConfig.
Click Google Kubernetes Engine.
Click your cluster name. Your cluster is added to the KubeConfig.
Set a cluster as the default context
The active cluster is the cluster that your application is deployed to by
default.
Click Cloud Code and then expand the Kubernetes section.
Right-click a cluster and then click Set as Active Cluster.
Run an application on GKE
To run or debug an application on GKE, you'll need to define
the container image repository for your project.
After you remove a cluster from your KubeConfig, the cluster is not available
to deploy to.
Click Cloud Code and then expand the Kubernetes section.
Right-click a cluster and then click
Remove Context Under Cluster.
Open an interactive terminal to a container
Click Cloud Code and then expand the Kubernetes section.
Expand your minikube cluster, expand Pods, and then expand
Containers.
Right-click a container and then click Get Terminal.
Open an external IP address
Click Cloud Code and then expand the Kubernetes section.
Expand your minikube cluster and then expand Services.
Expand External IPs, right-click an IP address, and then click
Open Address.
Click Open.
Create and add a cluster from another cloud provider
If you're using an on-premises cluster or a cluster from another provider such
as Azure or AWS, use the provider's tools to create the cluster and add it to
your KubeConfig.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-07 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eCloud Code allows you to create and manage Kubernetes clusters using Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), including both Standard and Autopilot modes.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eYou can easily add existing GKE clusters to your KubeConfig in Cloud Code and set a preferred cluster as the default context for deployments.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eCloud Code provides tools to interact with your Kubernetes environment, such as opening an interactive terminal to a container and accessing external IP addresses.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eYou are able to remove clusters from the KubeConfig to prevent accidental deployment to them.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eCloud code also supports integrating on-premises clusters, or clusters from other providers like Azure or AWS.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Create and configure a GKE cluster in Cloud Code for Cloud Shell\n\nWith Cloud Code, you can create a Kubernetes cluster with\nGoogle Kubernetes Engine (GKE).\n| **Note:** For developing and testing an app, create and run on a non-production cluster. For changes that will be rolled out to production, use an [automated CI/CD workflow](/docs/ci-cd).\n\nCreate a GKE cluster and add it to your KubeConfig\n--------------------------------------------------\n\nTo create a cluster:\n\n1. Click **Cloud Code** and then expand the **Kubernetes** section.\n2. Click add **Add a Cluster to the KubeConfig**.\n3. Select **Google Kubernetes Engine** and then select **Yes** to enable the Google Kubernetes Engine API in your project.\n4. Choose **Standard** or **Autopilot** . For more information, see [Comparing Autopilot and Standard modes](/kubernetes-engine/docs/concepts/autopilot-overview#comparison).\n5. If prompted, click **Open** to permit Cloud Code to open the Google Cloud console.\n6. In Google Cloud console, choose any configuration options that you want to customize and then click **Create**.\n7. After the cluster is created, in Cloud Code, click the **Refresh** icon.\n8. After the name of your new cluster appears in the list, click the cluster name. Your new cluster is added to your kubeconfig and set as the default context.\n\n**Tip:** To create a Kubernetes cluster using the command palette, launch the\ncommand palette (press `Ctrl`/`Cmd`+`Shift`+`P` or click **View** \\\u003e\n**Command Palette** ) and then run the **Cloud Code: Create GKE cluster**\ncommand.\n\nWork with an existing GKE cluster\n---------------------------------\n\nIf you have an existing Standard or Autopilot GKE cluster, you\ncan set it as your active cluster and work with it using\nCloud Code.\n\n1. Click **Cloud Code** and then expand the **Kubernetes** section.\n2. Click add **Add a Cluster to the KubeConfig**.\n3. Click **Google Kubernetes Engine**.\n4. Click your cluster name. Your cluster is added to the KubeConfig.\n\nSet a cluster as the default context\n------------------------------------\n\nThe active cluster is the cluster that your application is deployed to by\ndefault.\n\n1. Click **Cloud Code** and then expand the **Kubernetes** section.\n2. Right-click a cluster and then click **Set as Active Cluster**.\n\nRun an application on GKE\n-------------------------\n\nTo run or debug an application on GKE, you'll need to define\nthe container image repository for your project.\n\nTo learn more, see\n[get started with Cloud Code for Kubernetes](/code/docs/shell/get-started-k8s#run_your_application)\n\n\nRemove a cluster from your KubeConfig\n-------------------------------------\n\nAfter you remove a cluster from your KubeConfig, the cluster is not available\nto deploy to.\n\n1. Click **Cloud Code** and then expand the **Kubernetes** section.\n2. Right-click a cluster and then click **Remove Context Under Cluster**.\n\nOpen an interactive terminal to a container\n-------------------------------------------\n\n1. Click **Cloud Code** and then expand the **Kubernetes** section.\n2. Expand your minikube cluster, expand **Pods** , and then expand **Containers**.\n3. Right-click a container and then click **Get Terminal**.\n\nOpen an external IP address\n---------------------------\n\n1. Click **Cloud Code** and then expand the **Kubernetes** section.\n2. Expand your minikube cluster and then expand **Services**.\n3. Expand **External IPs** , right-click an IP address, and then click **Open Address**.\n4. Click **Open**.\n\nCreate and add a cluster from another cloud provider\n----------------------------------------------------\n\nIf you're using an on-premises cluster or a cluster from another provider such\nas Azure or AWS, use the provider's tools to create the cluster and add it to\nyour KubeConfig.\n\nWhat's next\n-----------\n\n- [Organize your cluster access using kubeconfig files](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/configuration/organize-cluster-access-kubeconfig/).\n- Learn how to add, delete or switch between your [kubeconfig files in Cloud Code](/code/docs/shell/kubeconfigs).\n- [Develop and debug parts of a microservice application](/code/docs/shell/speed-up-k8s-development#develop_microservices_applications_using_skaffold_configurations) using Skaffold.\n- Use [file sync and hot reloading](/code/docs/shell/speed-up-k8s-development#enable-skaffold-file-sync-and-hot-reloading) to speed up development.\n- [Debug your application in Cloud Code](/code/docs/shell/debug)."]]
Cloud Code and then expand the Kubernetes section.