kube-score

kube-score is a specialized static analysis tool designed for Kubernetes manifests, providing a deep-dive evaluation of object definitions against best practices. In the 2026 cloud-native landscape, kube-score remains a critical component of the 'shift-left' movement, allowing platform engineers and developers to detect misconfigurations before they reach production clusters. The tool focuses on several key pillars: security (identifying root containers or missing security contexts), reliability (ensuring liveness and readiness probes are defined), and resource management (validating CPU and memory requests/limits). Architecturally, kube-score operates by parsing YAML/JSON manifests and applying a battery of opinionated tests, returning a score and detailed remediation advice for each object. This descriptive feedback loop distinguishes it from generic linters, as it provides the 'why' behind every recommendation. Its lightweight Go-based binary makes it ideal for local development hooks and CI/CD pipelines. As Kubernetes complexity grows with 2026-era microservices, kube-score's ability to enforce pod anti-affinity and network policy presence ensures that infrastructure is not only functional but resilient and secure by design.