:_mod-docs-content-type: ASSEMBLY
[id="microshift-usage-oc-kubectl"]
= Using oc and kubectl commands
include::_attributes/attributes-microshift.adoc[]
:context: usage-oc-kubectl

toc::[]

[role="_abstract"]
The Kubernetes command-line interface (CLI), `kubectl`, can be used to run commands against a Kubernetes cluster. Because {microshift-short} is a certified Kubernetes distribution, you can use the supported `kubectl` CLI tool or you can gain extended functionality by using the {oc-first}.

[id="microshift-kubectl-binary_{context}"]
== The kubectl CLI tool

You can use the `kubectl` CLI tool to interact with Kubernetes primitives on your {microshift-short} node. You can also use existing `kubectl` workflows and scripts for users coming from another Kubernetes environment, or for those who prefer to use the `kubectl` CLI.

* The `kubectl` CLI tool is included in the archive when you download `oc`.

* For more information, see the link:https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/kubectl/overview/[Kubernetes CLI tool documentation].

[id="microshift-oc-binary_{context}"]
== The oc CLI tool

The `oc` CLI tool offers the same capabilities as the `kubectl` CLI tool, but it extends to natively support additional {OCP} features, including:

* **Route resource**
+
The `Route` resource object is specific to {OCP} distributions, and builds upon standard Kubernetes primitives.
+
* **Additional commands**
+
The additional command `oc new-app`, for example, makes it easier to get new applications started using existing source code or pre-built images.

[IMPORTANT]
====
If you installed an earlier version of `oc`, you might not be able use it to complete all of the commands in {microshift-short} {product-version}. If you want the latest features, you must download and install the latest version of `oc` that corresponds with your {microshift-short} version.
====

Using new capabilities often requires the latest `oc` binary. A 4.21 server might have additional capabilities that a 4.16 `oc` binary cannot use and a 4.21 `oc` binary might have additional capabilities that are unsupported by a 4.15 server.

.Compatibility Matrix

[cols="1,1,1"]
|===

|
|*X.Y* (`oc` Client)
|*X.Y+N* footnote:versionpolicyn[Where *N* is a number greater than or equal to 1.] (`oc` Client)

|*X.Y* (Server)
|Fully compatible.
|The `oc` CLI tool might provide options and features that are not compatible with the accessed server.

|*X.Y+N* footnote:versionpolicyn[] (Server)
|The `oc` CLI tool might not be able to access server features.
|Fully compatible.

|===