# Connect Your Kubernetes Cluster

This guide walks you through connecting your Kubernetes cluster to **Lapdev**, so Lapdev can manage development environments inside your cluster.

> Read [**Cluster**](https://docs.lap.dev/core-concepts/cluster) to understand cluster roles, permissions, and how kube-manager works.

### Create a Cluster in the Lapdev Dashboard

1. Go to the Lapdev dashboard: <https://app.lap.dev>
2. Navigate to **Clusters** → click **Create New Cluster**.
3. Enter a **name** to identify your cluster (e.g. `staging-cluster` or `dev-cluster`).
4. After creating it, you’ll see an **authentication token** and **installation instructions** for your cluster.

Keep this token handy — it’s used to securely register your cluster with Lapdev.

<figure><img src="https://3284468452-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FnCHF64WOwSvzfUL4cG6Q%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-390bee0bda7943ce3dcc840109cc2bf4bb7016ee%2FScreenshot%202025-11-19%20at%2020-29-35%20Lapdev%20Dashboard.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Install the Lapdev Kube Manager

Run the install command shown in the dashboard, or apply the manifest manually:

```bash
kubectl apply -f "https://get.lap.dev/install/lapdev-kube-manager.yaml?token=<your-cluster-token>"
```

Replace `<your-cluster-token>` with the token generated when you created the cluster. The manifest creates the `lapdev` namespace (if needed), configures the required RBAC, and deploys the `lapdev-kube-manager` controller that securely connects your cluster to Lapdev.

### Configure Cluster Permissions

After the cluster is connected, configure which environment types can be deployed to this cluster:

1. Go to the cluster details page in the dashboard
2. Find the **Permissions** section
3. Toggle permissions based on your needs:
   * **Personal Environments** - Allow developers to create isolated environments
   * **Shared Environments** - Allow team-wide baseline and branch environments

You can change these settings at any time.

> Learn more about cluster permissions and use cases in [**Cluster**](https://docs.lap.dev/core-concepts/cluster).

### Verify Connection

Once the installation is complete:

* Go back to the **Clusters** page in the Lapdev dashboard.
* Your cluster should appear in the list with a status of **Active**.

If the status doesn’t update after a minute, double-check that:

* The `lapdev-kube-manager` pod is running:

  ```bash
  kubectl get pods -n lapdev
  ```
* Your network allows outbound HTTPS connections to `api.lap.dev`.

### Next Steps

Your cluster is now connected to Lapdev! 🎉

You can start:

* Creating an [App Catalog](https://docs.lap.dev/how-to-guides/create-an-app-catalog) from your cluster's workloads
* Creating [Environments](https://docs.lap.dev/how-to-guides/create-lapdev-environment) from your App Catalog
* Learn more about [Cluster concepts](https://docs.lap.dev/core-concepts/cluster) and architecture


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