Reference CLI
export
Build a cluster and write every manifest as plain Kubernetes YAML, one file per resource, either without Kix annotations or with them kept for audit.
kix export builds the cluster’s activation and writes each resource to its
own YAML file. It does not contact a cluster. The default exit mode produces
YAML with no Kix annotations or Kix-internal resources, which kubectl, Flux,
or Argo CD can apply. The audit mode keeps everything as evidence of what
Kix would deploy.
This page is hand-maintained. Check cli/kix-cli/src/cli.rs and
cli/kix-cli/src/commands/export.rs when in doubt.
Synopsis
Section titled “Synopsis”kix export <CLUSTER> [--out <DIR>] [--for exit|audit] [--force] [--flake <FLAKE>]| Argument or flag | Default | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
<CLUSTER> | Cluster name to build. | |
--out <DIR> | ./kix-export | Directory to write. |
--for <MODE> | exit | exit or audit. See Modes. |
--force | Off | Replace an existing output directory. See Overwriting. |
--flake <FLAKE> | . | Flake to build. |
-o has no effect. Progress and the summary line go to stderr; -q hides
them. See Global flags for
--override-input.
| Mode | kix.run/* annotations | Activation and PackageInstance resources |
|---|---|---|
exit | Removed | Skipped |
audit | Kept, including the identity hash and package stamps a deploy writes | Written |
Both modes drop null fields and write keys in sorted order. Labels are written unchanged in both modes.
Layout
Section titled “Layout”Each resource is written to <DIR>/<namespace>/<Kind>-<name>.yaml.
Cluster-scoped resources go under <DIR>/_cluster/. An audit export is a
valid old side for kix diff --from;
an exit export is not, because the diff needs the Kix annotations.
Overwriting
Section titled “Overwriting”Without --force, an existing output directory is an error. With --force,
Kix deletes the directory and writes it again, so files from an earlier export
do not linger. It refuses when the directory holds anything other than
subdirectories and .yaml files, or a symlink, and names the first such entry.
Examples
Section titled “Examples”❱ kix export demo --out handoff/❱ kubectl diff --server-side -R -f handoff/❱ kix export demo --for audit --out evidence/ --forceExit status
Section titled “Exit status”0 on success, 1 when the build fails or the output directory cannot be
written or replaced.