# Kubernetes Dashboard to Headlamp: A Step-by-Step Guide

Publisher-attributed story with a reviewed brief or permitted publisher paragraph. The original publisher is responsible for the linked reporting.

- Publisher: Kubernetes
- Category: Infrastructure
- Original publication time: 2026-07-13T18:00:00Z
- First observed by NexusTechWire: 2026-10-01T15:54:35Z
- Original source: https://kubernetes.io/blog/2026/07/13/kubernetes-dashboard-to-headlamp/
- NexusTechWire record: https://nexustechwire.com/news/news-839722f95294e987914d

## From the publisher

1. Before you start: know what is changing Kubernetes Dashboard and Headlamp both show what is running in a cluster, but they work differently. When Headlamp runs on the desktop, it uses your existing kubeconfig to connect to one or more clusters and can be extended with plugins. When Headlamp runs inside a cluster, it uses a Kubernetes ServiceAccount to access the API and follow RBAC rules. Kubernetes Dashboard, in contrast, only runs in-cluster and always relies on service account tokens. Understanding these models early helps you choose the right setup and permissions. 1.1 How Kubernetes Dashboard works Dashboard is a web app that runs inside your cluster. You install it in the cluster, often with Helm. You usually run one Dashboard per cluster. You often reach it with kubectl port-forward or an ingress. You log in with a Bearer token. That token is often from a service account.

Source license: [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Publisher excerpt shortened and converted to plain text. Original source license applies.

Read the full original: [Kubernetes](https://kubernetes.io/blog/2026/07/13/kubernetes-dashboard-to-headlamp/)

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