Blog: Install Agent Substrate on Any Kubernetes Cluster by sebbycorp · Pull Request #722 · kagent-dev/website

sebbycorp · 2026-11-11T16:26:00Z

New blog post by Michael Levan on the universal kubectl-ate installer, which sets up Agent Substrate on any Kubernetes cluster (Kind, Minikube, AKS, EKS, GKE) without cloud-specific workarounds like setting a placeholder PROJECT_ID.

src/blogContent/install-agent-substrate-any-cluster.mdx: the post
src/app/blog/page.tsx: blog index entry
public/images/blog/install-agent-substrate-any-cluster/: installer GIF, options and confirm screenshots, ate-system pods

Copy edits from the draft: fixed the PATH export ($HOME/$PATH were missing the $), noted the download uses the darwin-arm64 build, added kubectl get pods -n ate-system before the final screenshot, and tightened some wording.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

Michael Levan's post on the universal kubectl-ate installer. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com> Signed-off-by: Sebastian Maniak <sebastian@maniak.io>

github-actions · 2026-11-11T16:29:19Z

Docs preview

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Both are uploaded Worker versions and serve no production traffic.

Nadine2016 · 2026-11-11T22:19:45Z

+
+To follow along with this blog post in a hands-on fashion, you need:
+
+1. A Kubernetes cluster running v1.37 or above. It can be any cluster, from a Kind or Minikube cluster to an AKS, EKS, or GKE cluster.


remove the numbering since there is only one condition. I would also just make it one combined paragraph

Done in f6636dc. Removed the numbering and folded the requirement and the v1.37 rationale into one paragraph.

Nadine2016 · 2026-11-11T22:22:01Z

+
+1. Download the `kubectl-ate` binary, which is how you interact with Agent Substrate on the CLI. This example pulls the macOS (Apple silicon) build; pick the pattern that matches your OS and architecture.
+
+```bash


the commands need to be indented to align with the steps

Done in f6636dc. All commands (and the screenshots that belong to each step) are now indented under their numbered steps. I also made 'Confirm the install' and 'Verify the pods' steps 5 and 6 so the list doesn't break in the middle.

Nadine2016 · 2026-11-12T04:04:39Z

+
+## What Does the Installer Entail?
+
+When you run the installer, you get everything that comes with a standard Agent Substrate installation, the same as if you'd installed it on GKE or Kind.


the same as if you'd installed it on GKE or Kind.

this phrase sounds like as if I manually installed it on GKE or Kind. but I think we want to say whether you install on GKE or kind?

Good catch, done in f6636dc. It now reads: "...whether you install on GKE, Kind, or any other cluster."

Nadine2016 · 2026-11-12T04:05:14Z

+
+![The kubectl-ate installer running against a cluster: preflight checks, component installation, and post-install verification.](/images/blog/install-agent-substrate-any-cluster/installer-run.gif)
+
+The installer:


Suggested change

The installer:

The installer completes the following steps:

Applied in f6636dc.

Nadine2016 · 2026-11-12T04:05:35Z

+The installer:
+
+1. Checks that the cluster has what it needs to run as expected (for example, the PodCertificate API).
+2. Installs all of the necessary components: CRDs, the cert controller, Postgres, and all of the Substrate components.


Suggested change

2. Installs all of the necessary components: CRDs, the cert controller, Postgres, and all of the Substrate components.

2. Installs all of the necessary components, including the CRDs, the cert controller, Postgres, and all of the Substrate components.

Applied in f6636dc.

Nadine2016 · 2026-11-12T04:10:36Z

+
+## Why Is a Universal Installer Needed?
+
+"Where can this run?"


An alternative to your text, because there are a lot of questions after another. and the point of using an universal installer did not really come across to me this way.

Suggested change

"Where can this run?"

Portability is one of the first things teams weigh when they adopt a platform. They want to know whether it runs outside a single cloud, whether their data can leave, and whether a workload can move from one environment to another.

A tool that only runs in one cloud locks you in the moment your needs change, whether the trigger is billing, a better deal, or more experience with another provider. A universal installer removes that risk. Teams reuse the same setup everywhere instead of building a one-off "snowflake" for each environment.

Agreed, this reads much better. Applied your text in f6636dc.

Nadine2016 · 2026-11-12T04:11:04Z

+
+## What Does the Installer Entail?
+
+When you run the installer, you get everything that comes with a standard Agent Substrate installation, the same as if you'd installed it on GKE or Kind.


Suggested change

When you run the installer, you get everything that comes with a standard Agent Substrate installation, the same as if you'd installed it on GKE or Kind.

When you run the Agent Substrate installer, you get everything that comes with a standard Agent Substrate installation, the same as if you'd installed it on GKE or Kind.

Applied in f6636dc, combined with your other comment on this line: "When you run the Agent Substrate installer, you get everything that comes with a standard Agent Substrate installation, whether you install on GKE, Kind, or any other cluster."

Nadine2016 · 2026-11-12T04:14:31Z

+
+## How to Use the Installer
+
+To get past those "hacky" workarounds, use the universal installer in the [kagent Agent Substrate fork](https://github.com/kagent-dev/substrate).


earlier we say that the installer requires a project ID env, even if it is not used. but here we say the installer gets you past the workarounds. not sure what is right?

Fair point, that was ambiguous. Fixed in f6636dc: the PROJECT_ID requirement is from the standard (upstream) Agent Substrate install, and the universal installer drops it. The paragraph now says that explicitly, and the 'How to Use' intro just says where the universal installer lives instead of referring back to the workarounds.

- Fold the single prerequisite into one paragraph - Rewrite the 'why' section as prose instead of stacked questions - Clarify that PROJECT_ID is required by the standard install, not the universal installer - Indent commands and images under their numbered steps Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com> Signed-off-by: Sebastian Maniak <sebastian@maniak.io>

Blog: install Agent Substrate on any Kubernetes cluster

a539ce5

Michael Levan's post on the universal kubectl-ate installer. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com> Signed-off-by: Sebastian Maniak <sebastian@maniak.io>

sebbycorp force-pushed the blog/install-agent-substrate-any-cluster branch from cf83235 to a539ce5 Compare November 11, 2026 16:27

sebbycorp requested review from EItanya, artberger and christian-posta November 11, 2026 17:18

Nadine2016 reviewed Nov 11, 2026

View reviewed changes

Nadine2016 reviewed Nov 12, 2026

View reviewed changes

sebbycorp force-pushed the blog/install-agent-substrate-any-cluster branch from f6636dc to ada96fb Compare November 13, 2026 01:45


		To follow along with this blog post in a hands-on fashion, you need:

		1. A Kubernetes cluster running v1.37 or above. It can be any cluster, from a Kind or Minikube cluster to an AKS, EKS, or GKE cluster.


		1. Download the `kubectl-ate` binary, which is how you interact with Agent Substrate on the CLI. This example pulls the macOS (Apple silicon) build; pick the pattern that matches your OS and architecture.

		```bash


		## What Does the Installer Entail?

		When you run the installer, you get everything that comes with a standard Agent Substrate installation, the same as if you'd installed it on GKE or Kind.


		![The kubectl-ate installer running against a cluster: preflight checks, component installation, and post-install verification.](/images/blog/install-agent-substrate-any-cluster/installer-run.gif)

		The installer:

	2. Installs all of the necessary components: CRDs, the cert controller, Postgres, and all of the Substrate components.
	2. Installs all of the necessary components, including the CRDs, the cert controller, Postgres, and all of the Substrate components.


		## Why Is a Universal Installer Needed?

		"Where can this run?"

-"Where can this run?"
+Portability is one of the first things teams weigh when they adopt a platform. They want to know whether it runs outside a single cloud, whether their data can leave, and whether a workload can move from one environment to another.
+A tool that only runs in one cloud locks you in the moment your needs change, whether the trigger is billing, a better deal, or more experience with another provider. A universal installer removes that risk. Teams reuse the same setup everywhere instead of building a one-off "snowflake" for each environment.

	When you run the installer, you get everything that comes with a standard Agent Substrate installation, the same as if you'd installed it on GKE or Kind.
	When you run the Agent Substrate installer, you get everything that comes with a standard Agent Substrate installation, the same as if you'd installed it on GKE or Kind.


		## How to Use the Installer

		To get past those "hacky" workarounds, use the universal installer in the [kagent Agent Substrate fork](https://github.com/kagent-dev/substrate).

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sebbycorp commented Nov 11, 2026

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github-actions Bot commented Nov 11, 2026 •

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