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Getting Started

Welcome to sloth-kubernetes - the multi-cloud Kubernetes deployment platform that fits in a single binary.

What is sloth-kubernetes?​

sloth-kubernetes is a CLI tool that deploys production-ready Kubernetes clusters across multiple cloud providers with:

  • Zero external dependencies - Single binary includes Pulumi, Salt, and kubectl
  • Multi-cloud support - AWS, DigitalOcean, Linode, Azure (GCP coming soon)
  • Lisp-based configuration - Dynamic, readable configs with 70+ built-in functions
  • Enterprise features - State management, audit logging, config versioning, manifest tracking
  • Automatic networking - WireGuard VPN mesh across all providers

Quick Installation​

# One-line install (Linux/macOS)
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/chalkan3/sloth-kubernetes/main/install.sh | bash

# Verify
sloth-kubernetes version

Other platforms: See Installation Guide for Windows, manual install, and building from source.

5-Minute Quick Start​

1. Set credentials:

export DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN="your-token"
export PULUMI_CONFIG_PASSPHRASE="your-passphrase"

2. Create cluster.lisp:

(cluster
  (metadata (name "my-cluster") (environment "dev"))
  (providers (digitalocean (enabled true) (region "nyc3")))
  (network (mode "wireguard") (wireguard (enabled true) (create true) (mesh-networking true)))
  (node-pools
    (main
      (name "main")
      (provider "digitalocean")
      (region "nyc3")
      (count 1)
      (roles master etcd worker)
      (size "s-4vcpu-8gb")))
  (kubernetes (distribution "k3s")))

3. Deploy:

sloth-kubernetes deploy my-cluster --config cluster.lisp

4. Use:

sloth-kubernetes kubectl my-cluster get nodes

Full guide: Quick Start

Why sloth-kubernetes?​

Challengesloth-kubernetes Solution
Multiple tools required (Terraform, kubectl, helm, etc.)Single binary with everything embedded
Static configuration filesDynamic Lisp configs with env vars, conditionals, functions
Vendor lock-inMulti-cloud support with same config format
State management complexityPulumi state as database with full audit trail
Networking across providersAutomatic WireGuard VPN mesh

How It Works​

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    sloth-kubernetes CLI                        │
│                     (Single Binary)                            │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  ┌──────────┐  ┌──────────┐  ┌──────────┐  ┌──────────────┐   │
│  │  Lisp    │  │  Pulumi  │  │  Salt    │  │   kubectl    │   │
│  │  Config  │  │  Engine  │  │  Master  │  │   Embedded   │   │
│  └──────────┘  └──────────┘  └──────────┘  └──────────────┘   │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│            Cloud Providers (AWS, DO, Linode, Azure)            │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│          WireGuard VPN Mesh | RKE2/K3s | Node Management       │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

What You'll Learn​

In this section:

  1. Installation - Install on Linux, macOS, or Windows
  2. Quick Start - Deploy your first cluster in 5 minutes

After getting started:

Prerequisites​

Required​

  • Cloud provider account with API credentials:

  • Terminal - Command-line access (bash, zsh, PowerShell)

Optional (but embedded)​

  • kubectl - Embedded in sloth-kubernetes
  • Pulumi - Embedded in sloth-kubernetes
  • Salt - Automatically configured

Support​

Ready to get started? Head to the Quick Start Guide to deploy your first cluster.