← Documentation

Installation

Kaja has two parts: the dashboard (the website you log into) and a small agent that runs on your infrastructure. You bring your clusters; we don't sell you infra. The agent is what lets you develop and deploy from Kaja—create environments, deploy apps, view logs and metrics—on the clusters you connect. This page explains how to get the agent onto your cluster.

You don't install from a generic "Kaja repo"

Unlike many tools, you don't add a public repo and type cluster name and URL yourself. Instead:

  1. You add the cluster in the Kaja app (enter a name; Kaja generates the cluster id, same as for other resources).
  2. Kaja gives you a custom install command that includes that cluster id and a one-time token. Once the agent uses that token during install, it is invalidated—it can't be reused. The agent then uses a refresh token for its ongoing connection to Kaja.
  3. You run that command once on the cluster you want to connect.

So the right order is: add the cluster in Kaja first, then run the command it gives you on your infra.

What the install command does

The command installs the agent in a namespace (e.g. kaja) on your cluster. It passes your cluster id and the one-time token so the agent can register with Kaja; once that token is consumed, it's invalid. The agent then uses a refresh token to stay connected. When the agent is healthy, Kaja shows the cluster as connected (or "Active"). You then develop and deploy from the dashboard—on the infra you brought.

Two ways to run it

On the cluster setup page in Kaja you'll see:

  • From a release tarball — Downloads the agent chart and installs it. Good if you prefer a fixed release.
  • From OCI — Installs from a container registry. Same result, different source.

Copy the command that matches your preference and run it with kubectl pointing at your cluster. You can run the same command again later to upgrade; it's safe to re-run.

Check that it worked

After running the command, you can check that the agent is running:

kubectl get pods -n kaja

You should see the agent pod(s). Once they're running, Kaja will show the cluster as connected.

If you don't use Helm

If your environment doesn't allow Helm, you can still install the agent using the same chart: export the manifests (e.g. with helm template) and apply them with kubectl apply. Set the cluster id and one-time token the same way the Helm command does (via the chart's values or env). The setup page in Kaja is where you get the correct cluster id and one-time token.

Next steps