kubectl-finalize

A kubectl plugin to force delete Kubernetes resources that are stuck in a Terminating state. This plugin is particularly useful when dealing with namespaces or resources that won't delete due to stuck finalizers.

Features

• Force deletes resources stuck in Terminating state
• Safely removes finalizers from resources
• Validates namespace state before attempting deletion
• Works with any Kubernetes resource type
• Supports custom resources via API discovery

Installation

Using Homebrew

brew install teocns/tap/kubectl-finalize

Using Go

go install github.com/teocns/kubectl-finalize@latest

Manual Installation

1. Download the latest release for your platform from the releases page
2. Make it executable: chmod +x kubectl-finalize-*
3. Move it to your PATH: sudo mv kubectl-finalize-* /usr/local/bin/kubectl-finalize

Usage

# Force delete a stuck namespace
kubectl finalize namespace/stuck-namespace

# Force delete a pod in a specific namespace
kubectl finalize pod/stuck-pod -n my-namespace

# Force delete a deployment
kubectl finalize deployment/stuck-deployment -n my-namespace

Safety Features

The plugin includes several safety checks:

• For namespaces, it verifies that:
  • The namespace exists
  • The namespace is in "Terminating" state
  • The namespace has a deletion timestamp
• For other resources:
  • Validates resource existence
  • Removes finalizers safely
  • Uses background propagation policy

Building from Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/teocns/kubectl-finalize
cd kubectl-finalize

# Build
just build

# Install
just install

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

License

MIT License - see LICENSE for details