Visualize the dependency graph with `kix graph`

Use kix graph to inspect dependencies in the rendered cluster. The graph includes references carried by resource manifests and explicit requires or extraDeps edges. It does not need access to Kubernetes.

Print the tree

Tree output is the quickest way to inspect ordering in a terminal:

Run in kix-examples/

❱ kix graph 08-namespace-deps --format tree Show output

CustomResourceDefinition/activations.kix.run
└── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
CustomResourceDefinition/packageinstances.kix.run
├── PackageInstance/backend@platform
│   └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
├── PackageInstance/platform-dns@kube-system (import)
│   ├── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
│   └── Deployment/gateway@app
│       └── Service/gateway@app
│           └── PackageInstance/gateway@app
│               └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
└── PackageInstance/gateway@app
    └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
Namespace/app
├── Service/gateway@app
│   └── PackageInstance/gateway@app
│       └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
├── ConfigMap/gateway@app
│   └── Deployment/gateway@app
│       └── Service/gateway@app
│           └── PackageInstance/gateway@app
│               └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
├── PackageInstance/gateway@app
│   └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
└── Deployment/gateway@app
    └── Service/gateway@app
        └── PackageInstance/gateway@app
            └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
Namespace/kube-system
└── PackageInstance/platform-dns@kube-system (import)
    ├── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
    └── Deployment/gateway@app
        └── Service/gateway@app
            └── PackageInstance/gateway@app
                └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
Namespace/platform
├── Service/backend@platform
│   ├── ConfigMap/gateway@app
│   │   └── Deployment/gateway@app
│   │       └── Service/gateway@app
│   │           └── PackageInstance/gateway@app
│   │               └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
│   └── PackageInstance/backend@platform
│       └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
├── ConfigMap/backend@platform
│   └── Deployment/backend@platform
│       └── Service/backend@platform
│           ├── ConfigMap/gateway@app
│           │   └── Deployment/gateway@app
│           │       └── Service/gateway@app
│           │           └── PackageInstance/gateway@app
│           │               └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
│           └── PackageInstance/backend@platform
│               └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
├── PackageInstance/backend@platform
│   └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
└── Deployment/backend@platform
    └── Service/backend@platform
        ├── ConfigMap/gateway@app
        │   └── Deployment/gateway@app
        │       └── Service/gateway@app
        │           └── PackageInstance/gateway@app
        │               └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
        └── PackageInstance/backend@platform
            └── Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8
15 resources, 24 dependencies

The tree starts with resources that have no dependencies. Each indented entry depends on the resource above it. In this example, the gateway ConfigMap appears beneath Service/backend@platform, showing the edge across the namespace boundary.

If an expected edge is missing, check that the consumer reads a value from the dependency, such as backend.out.url { } or backend.out.name. That reference creates the edge. If there is no value to read, add the dependency to requires or extraDeps.

deps alone does not create an edge. It binds a package build argument to a provider. An edge appears only when the rendered resource uses a value from that provider.

Write a DOT graph

Use DOT output for Graphviz or another graph viewer:

Run in kix-examples/

❱ kix graph 08-namespace-deps --format dot Show output

digraph kix {
  rankdir=LR;
  node [shape=box];

  "0" [label="CustomResourceDefinition/activations.kix.run"];
  "1" [label="CustomResourceDefinition/packageinstances.kix.run"];
  "2" [label="Deployment/gateway@app"];
  "3" [label="Deployment/backend@platform"];
  "4" [label="Activation/08-namespace-deps-8zzrakfr54y8"];
  "5" [label="PackageInstance/gateway@app"];
  "6" [label="PackageInstance/platform-dns@kube-system (import)" style=dashed color=gray];
  "7" [label="PackageInstance/backend@platform"];
  "8" [label="ConfigMap/gateway@app"];
  "9" [label="ConfigMap/backend@platform"];
  "10" [label="Namespace/app"];
  "11" [label="Namespace/kube-system"];
  "12" [label="Namespace/platform"];
  "13" [label="Service/gateway@app"];
  "14" [label="Service/backend@platform"];

  "2" -> "8";
  "2" -> "10";
  "2" -> "6";
  "3" -> "9";
  "3" -> "12";
  "4" -> "5";
  "4" -> "6";
  "4" -> "7";
  "4" -> "0";
  "5" -> "13";
  "5" -> "10";
  "5" -> "1";
  "6" -> "11";
  "6" -> "1";
  "7" -> "14";
  "7" -> "12";
  "7" -> "1";
  "8" -> "14";
  "8" -> "10";
  "9" -> "12";
  "13" -> "2";
  "13" -> "10";
  "14" -> "3";
  "14" -> "12";
}
15 resources, 24 dependencies

Redirect it into a file and render it with Graphviz:

Run in kix-examples/

❱ kix graph 08-namespace-deps --format dot > kix-graph.dot

❱ dot -Tsvg kix-graph.dot > kix-graph.svg

The second command requires Graphviz. The generated SVG is useful when a tree is too deep to scan comfortably.

Write graph data as JSON

Use JSON when another tool will inspect the nodes and edges:

Run in kix-examples/ Output excerpt

❱ kix graph 08-namespace-deps --format json
{
  "nodes": 15,
  "edges": 24,
  "sample": {
    "id": "CustomResourceDefinition/activations.kix.run",
    "identityHash": "gvrlspcfgh9a2qnsx5kqxw9f4l3x52jj",
    "isImport": false,
    "kind": "CustomResourceDefinition",
    "name": "activations.kix.run",
    "namespace": "_cluster"
  }
}
15 resources, 24 dependencies

The excerpt above counts the nodes and edges and shows one node. Every node carries its kind, name, namespace, and identity hash, so another tool can join the graph to the rendered manifests.

Choose JSON for automation, not as the default way to read the graph by hand.