Can I still use this if I'm not on a Mac?

OrbStack is currently a macOS-exclusive application. While the Skaffold logic is general, the networking benefits described in this skill are specific to the OrbStack environment on macOS.

How does it handle local database connections?

The skill recommends using the LoadBalancer service type, which allows you to connect host-side tools like DBeaver or pgAdmin directly to your Kubernetes database using its internal cluster DNS name.

Why use this skill instead of standard Skaffold commands?

Standard Skaffold often defaults to port-forwarding which can be slow and unstable; this skill leverages OrbStack’s unique network bridge to allow direct service access without any port-forwarding overhead.

Does this skill help with Ingress setup?

Yes, it provides specific templates for NGINX and Traefik that work with OrbStack's wildcard DNS, allowing you to access services at URLs like my-app.k8s.orb.local.

Skaffold for OrbStack

Name: Skaffold for OrbStack
Author: laurigates

bylaurigates

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Deployment & DevOps

Streamlines local Kubernetes development by optimizing Skaffold workflows for OrbStack's native networking, eliminating the need for port-forwarding.

About

This skill provides specialized guidance and implementation patterns for developers using Skaffold with OrbStack on macOS. It leverages OrbStack's unique capability to expose Kubernetes services directly to the host machine, replacing traditional, brittle port-forwarding setups with more robust patterns like automatic LoadBalancer provisioning, wildcard DNS via Ingress (*.k8s.orb.local), and direct cluster.local DNS access. By applying these OrbStack-specific optimizations, developers can create a more production-like local environment that is faster to start and easier to debug.

Key Features

3 GitHub stars
OrbStack-optimized Skaffold configuration templates
Direct macOS-to-Cluster DNS resolution patterns
Port-forwarding elimination via native LoadBalancer support
Pre-configured Ingress and Service manifest templates
Wildcard DNS integration using k8s.orb.local

Use Cases

Developing multi-service microservices architectures without managing manual ports
Migrating local Kubernetes workflows from Docker Desktop or minikube to OrbStack
Accessing local K8s databases from host-based GUI tools via cluster DNS

About

Key Features

3 GitHub stars
OrbStack-optimized Skaffold configuration templates
Direct macOS-to-Cluster DNS resolution patterns
Port-forwarding elimination via native LoadBalancer support
Pre-configured Ingress and Service manifest templates
Wildcard DNS integration using k8s.orb.local

Use Cases

Developing multi-service microservices architectures without managing manual ports
Migrating local Kubernetes workflows from Docker Desktop or minikube to OrbStack
Accessing local K8s databases from host-based GUI tools via cluster DNS