Big Changes for Headlamp: Now Under Kubernetes SIG UI

In this episode of The Landscape, we spoke with Joaquim Rocha, engineering manager at Microsoft and lead maintainer of the CNCF sandbox Headlamp project. Joaquim shared a major milestone: Headlamp is now officially part of the Kubernetes SIG-UI.

Joaquim also highlighted new features from Headlamp’s latest release. Most notably, plugins can now run external tools in the desktop version, opening up integration opportunities with tools like Minikube. A new plugin lets users install and manage Minikube directly from Headlamp—no prior setup required. Looking ahead, the team is working on cluster grouping functionality to allow users to manage related clusters as a single unit, improving visibility across environments.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Headlamp has moved under Kubernetes SIG UI: This shift brings Headlamp into the Kubernetes org, aligning it more closely with community-driven development.
• New plugin support for running external tools: Plugins in the desktop version can now trigger commands, enabling broader tool integration.
• Minikube plugin makes getting started easier: Users can install and manage Minikube directly through Headlamp, streamlining local development.
• Upcoming support for cluster grouping: A new feature will let users view and manage multiple related clusters together in the UI.
• Future integrations with cloud tools are in scope: The team is exploring ways to integrate platforms like GCP and AWS directly into Headlamp’s interface.