Config file ~/.kube/color.yaml

In addition to environment variables, you can configure kubecolor via a dedicated config file: ~/.kube/color.yaml

The “!color” & “!color-list” YAML tags are only included here in the documentation to signal what data type is used. The tags should not be present in your config file.

Example file (the values shows the default values):

# yaml-language-server: $schema=https://github.com/kubecolor/kubecolor/raw/main/config-schema.json

kubectl: kubectl # path to kubectl executable
preset: dark # color theme preset
objFreshThreshold: 0 # ages below this uses theme.data.durationfresh coloring
paging: never # whether to pipe supported subcommands to a pager ("auto" or "never")
pager: # the command to use as pager; default uses $PAGER, less, or more

# Color theme options
theme:
  base:
    # general color for when things are bad
    danger: !color red

    # general color for when things are informational
    info: !color white

    # general color for when things are less relevant
    muted: !color gray:italic

    # general color for when things are focus
    primary: !color magenta

    # general color for when things are secondary focus
    secondary: !color cyan

    # general color for when things are good
    success: !color green

    # general color for when things are wrong
    warning: !color yellow

    # general color for keys
    key: !color-list # default = [$theme.base.secondary])

  # default when no specific mapping is found for the command
  default: !color green

  shell:
    # used on comments, e.g `# this is a comment`
    comment: !color # default = $theme.base.muted

    # used on commands, e.g `kubectl` or `echo`
    command: !color # default = $theme.base.success

    # used on arguments, e.g `get pods` in `kubectl get pods`
    arg: !color # default = $theme.base.info

    # used on flags, e.g `--watch` in `kubectl get pods --watch`
    flag: !color # default = $theme.base.secondary

  data:
    # used for the key
    key: !color-list # default = $theme.base.key

    # used when value is a string
    string: !color # default = $theme.base.info

    # used when value is true
    "true": !color # default = $theme.base.success

    # used when value is false
    "false": !color # default = $theme.base.danger

    # used when the value is a number
    number: !color # default = $theme.base.primary

    # used when the value is null, nil, or none
    "null": !color # default = $theme.base.muted

    # used when the value is a quantity, e.g "100m" or "5Gi"
    quantity: !color # default = $theme.data.number

    # used when the value is a duration, e.g "12m" or "1d12h"
    duration: !color

    # color used when the time value is under a certain delay
    durationFresh: !color # default = $theme.base.success

    ratio:
      # used for "0/0"
      zero: !color # default = $theme.base.muted

      # used for "n/n", e.g "1/1"
      equal: !color

      # used for "n/m", e.g "0/1"
      unequal: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

  status:
    # used in status keywords, e.g "Running", "Ready"
    success: !color # default = $theme.base.success

    # used in status keywords, e.g "Terminating"
    warning: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

    # used in status keywords, e.g "Failed", "Unhealthy"
    error: !color # default = $theme.base.danger

  table:
    # used on table headers
    header: !color # default = $theme.base.info

    # used on table columns when no other coloring applies such as status or duration coloring. The multiple colors are cycled based on column ID, from left to right.
    columns: !color-list # default = [$theme.base.info / $theme.base.secondary])

  stderr:
    # e.g when text contains "error"
    error: !color # default = $theme.base.danger

    # used on table output like "No resources found"
    noneFound: !color # default = $theme.data.null

    # used on the namespace name of "No resources found in my-ns namespace"
    noneFoundNamespace: !color # default = $theme.data.string

    # *deprecated: this field is no longer used (since v0.4.0)*
    default: !color

  apply:
    # used on "deployment.apps/foo created"
    created: !color # default = $theme.base.success

    # used on "deployment.apps/bar configured"
    configured: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

    # used on "deployment.apps/quux unchanged"
    unchanged: !color # default = $theme.base.primary

    # used on "deployment.apps/quux serverside-applied"
    serverside: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

    # used on "(dry run)" and "(server dry run)"
    dryRun: !color # default = $theme.base.secondary

    # used when outputs unknown format
    fallback: !color # default = $theme.base.success

  create:
    # used on "deployment.apps/foo created"
    created: !color # default = $theme.base.success

    # used on "(dry run)" and "(server dry run)"
    dryRun: !color # default = $theme.apply.dryrun

    # used when outputs unknown format
    fallback: !color # default = $theme.base.success

  delete:
    # used on "deployment.apps "nginx" deleted"
    deleted: !color # default = $theme.base.danger

    # used on "(dry run)" and "(server dry run)"
    dryRun: !color # default = $theme.apply.dryrun

    # used when outputs unknown format
    fallback: !color # default = $theme.base.danger

  describe:
    # used on keys. The multiple colors are cycled based on indentation.
    key: !color-list # default = $theme.base.key

  drain:
    # used on "node/my-worker-node-01 cordoned"
    cordoned: !color # default = $theme.base.primary

    # used on "evicting pod my-namespace/my-pod"
    evictingPod: !color # default = $theme.base.muted

    # used on "pod/my-pod evicted"
    evicted: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

    # used on "node/my-worker-node-01 drained"
    drained: !color # default = $theme.base.success

    # used on "(dry run)" and "(server dry run)"
    dryRun: !color # default = $theme.apply.dryrun

    # used when outputs unknown format
    fallback: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

  explain:
    # used on keys. The multiple colors are cycled based on indentation.
    key: !color-list # default = $theme.base.key

    # used on the trailing "-required-" string
    required: !color # default = $theme.base.danger

  expose:
    # used on "deployment.apps/foo created"
    exposed: !color # default = $theme.base.primary

    # used on "(dry run)" and "(server dry run)"
    dryRun: !color # default = $theme.apply.dryrun

    # used when outputs unknown format
    fallback: !color # default = $theme.base.primary

  options:
    # e.g "--kubeconfig"
    flag: !color # default = $theme.base.secondary

  patch:
    # used on "deployment.apps/foo patched"
    patched: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

    # used on "(dry run)" and "(server dry run)"
    dryRun: !color # default = $theme.apply.dryrun

    # used when outputs unknown format
    fallback: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

  rollout:
    # used on "deployment.apps/foo rolled back"
    rolledBack: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

    # used on "deployment.apps/foo paused"
    paused: !color # default = $theme.base.primary

    # used on "deployment.apps/foo resumed"
    resumed: !color # default = $theme.base.secondary

    # used on "deployment.apps/foo restarted"
    restarted: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

    # used on "(dry run)" and "(server dry run)"
    dryRun: !color # default = $theme.apply.dryrun

    # used when outputs unknown format
    fallback: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

  scale:
    # used on "deployment.apps/foo scaled"
    scaled: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

    # used on "(dry run)" and "(server dry run)"
    dryRun: !color # default = $theme.apply.dryrun

    # used when outputs unknown format
    fallback: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

  uncordon:
    # used on "node/my-worker-node-01 uncordoned"
    uncordoned: !color # default = $theme.base.secondary

    # used on "(dry run)" and "(server dry run)"
    dryRun: !color # default = $theme.apply.dryrun

    # used when outputs unknown format
    fallback: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

  version:
    # used on the key
    key: !color-list # default = $theme.base.key

  help:
    # e.g "Examples:" or "Options:"
    header: !color # default = $theme.table.header

    # e.g "--kubeconfig"
    flag: !color # default = $theme.base.secondary

    # Flag descripion under "Options:" heading
    flagDesc: !color # default = $theme.base.info

    # e.g `[https://example.com]`
    url: !color # default = $theme.base.secondary

    # Fallback text color
    text: !color # default = $theme.base.info

  logs:
    key: !color-list # default = $theme.data.key

    # Used on quoted strings that are not part of a `key="value"`
    quotedString: !color # default = $theme.data.string

    date: !color # default = $theme.base.muted

    sourceRef: !color # default = $theme.base.muted

    guid: !color # default = $theme.base.muted

    severity:
      trace: !color # default = $theme.base.muted

      debug: !color # default = $theme.base.muted

      info: !color # default = $theme.base.success

      warn: !color # default = $theme.base.warning

      error: !color # default = $theme.base.danger

      fatal: !color # default = $theme.base.danger

      panic: !color # default = $theme.base.danger

  diff:
    # used on added lines
    added: !color # default = $theme.base.success

    # used on removed lines
    removed: !color # default = $theme.base.danger

    # used on unchanged lines
    unchanged: !color # default = $theme.base.muted

You can also override the path of the config file using the KUBECOLOR_CONFIG environment variable:

# Default
export KUBECOLOR_CONFIG="$HOME/.kube/color.yaml"

# But you can override it to someplace else
export KUBECOLOR_CONFIG="$HOME/.config/kubecolor.yaml"