Use kubectl get with -o yaml to print Kubernetes Deployment, ReplicaSet, or Pod objects in YAML format. For example: kubectl get deployments -o yaml, kubectl get replicasets -o yaml, and kubectl get pods -o yaml. By default, these commands return matching resources from your current namespace.
Commands to get Kubernetes resources as YAML
The -o yaml option controls the output format; it does not change which resource kind the command requests. Kubernetes documents this output as KYAML, a Kubernetes-specific dialect that can be parsed as YAML. See the kubectl quick reference and kubectl get reference.
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List resources in the current namespace
kubectl get deployments -o yaml
kubectl get replicasets -o yaml
kubectl get pods -o yamlEach command returns the requested kind in the current namespace. Short resource names also work: rs for ReplicaSets and po for Pods.
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kubectl get pods -n NAMESPACE -o yaml
kubectl get pods -A -o yamlReplace NAMESPACE with the namespace to inspect. The -A option is shorthand for --all-namespaces and queries across namespaces instead of using the current namespace.
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Get one named object
kubectl get deployment nginx-deployment -o yaml
kubectl get replicaset REPLICASET_NAME -o yaml
kubectl get pod POD_NAME -o yamlUse the corresponding resource kind and exact object name. Kubernetes resource types are case-insensitive, but resource names are case-sensitive. The official reference also demonstrates kubectl get pod NAME -o yaml.
Which layer should you inspect?
Deployments, ReplicaSets, and Pods represent connected but different layers of a workload. The Kubernetes Deployment documentation describes a Deployment as managing a set of Pods to run an application workload, usually one that does not maintain state.
| Resource | What it tells you | Typical YAML command |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Desired workload configuration and rollout behavior | kubectl get deployment NAME -o yaml |
| ReplicaSet | How a controller maintains the requested number of matching Pods | kubectl get replicasets -o yaml |
| Pod | Configuration and observed state for an individual workload instance | kubectl get pods -o yaml |
A Deployment manages Pods through ReplicaSets. When a Pod template changes, Kubernetes creates a new ReplicaSet and scales it up while scaling down the older one during a controlled rollout. The ReplicaSet, in turn, maintains the desired count of matching Pods. See the Deployment guide and ReplicaSet guide.
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A resource object commonly contains identifying metadata, desired configuration, and observed status. Inspect these fields to understand what the object represents and how it relates to the other workload layers.
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apiVersionandkindidentify the API schema version and resource type.metadata.nameandmetadata.namespaceidentify the object and its namespace.metadata.labelscan help connect related resources. For a Pod,metadata.ownerReferencescan identify its owning ReplicaSet.specdescribes desired configuration. A Deployment’sspec.replicasis its desired replica count, and its Pod template describes the Pods it creates.statusreflects observed state. Interpret its fields in the context of that resource; a Deployment’s readiness, updated, and available replica counts describe different aspects of progress.
Deployment-created ReplicaSets commonly follow the naming pattern DEPLOYMENT-NAME-HASH in the documentation’s examples. The pod-template-hash label ties the template identity to the ReplicaSet selector, the Pod template labels, and the resulting Pods. These identifiers and owner references help trace a Pod back through its controller chain.
Check rollout health separately
Getting a Deployment’s YAML shows its configuration and status fields, but the presence of the object alone does not prove its Pods are healthy or that an update has finished. To check progress for a particular Deployment, run:
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kubectl rollout status deployment/NAMEReplace NAME with the Deployment name. Compare the reported rollout progress with the Deployment and Pod status when diagnosing an update.
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Version considerations
The kubectl reference and Kubernetes API details can change over time. The documentation cited here was accessed on September 28, 2026; for version-sensitive behavior, check the documentation that matches the Kubernetes and kubectl versions in your environment.
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