// Manage Kurtosis contexts for connecting to different Kurtosis instances. Add, list, switch, and remove contexts. Use when working with multiple Kurtosis environments (local, remote, team shared).
| name | context-manage |
| description | Manage Kurtosis contexts for connecting to different Kurtosis instances. Add, list, switch, and remove contexts. Use when working with multiple Kurtosis environments (local, remote, team shared). |
| compatibility | Requires kurtosis CLI. |
| metadata | {"author":"ethpandaops","version":"1.0"} |
Manage Kurtosis contexts for connecting to different Kurtosis instances.
Contexts define which Kurtosis instance the CLI talks to. The default context is default which connects to the local engine (Docker or Kubernetes).
kurtosis context ls
Shows all configured contexts and which one is active.
kurtosis context add <context-name>
kurtosis context set <context-name>
After switching, restart the engine or portal as needed.
kurtosis context rm <context-name>
# Check which context is active
kurtosis context ls
# Switch to a different environment
kurtosis context set staging
# Verify the switch succeeded
kurtosis context ls
# Start portal if using a remote context
kurtosis portal start
# Switch back to local
kurtosis context set default
| Scenario | Behavior | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Switch to non-existent context | Command fails with error | Run kurtosis context ls to see available contexts |
| Remove active context | Command fails — cannot remove active | Switch to another context first with kurtosis context set |
| Engine running after switch | Engine still connected to old context | Run kurtosis engine restart after switching contexts |
Build and test the Kurtosis CLI from source. Compile the CLI binary locally, run it against Docker or Kubernetes engines, and iterate on CLI changes without creating a release. Use when developing or debugging CLI commands.
Inspect and manage Kurtosis enclaves. List enclaves, view services and ports, examine file artifacts, dump enclave state for debugging, and clean up. Use when you need to understand what's running inside an enclave or export its state.
Inspect, download, upload, and debug Kurtosis file artifacts. View artifacts in an enclave, download them locally for inspection, upload local files, and troubleshoot file mounting issues. Use when services can't find expected files or configs are wrong.
Lint and format Kurtosis Starlark files. Check syntax, validate docstrings, and auto-format .star files. Use when writing or reviewing Starlark packages to ensure code quality.
View and manage port mappings for Kurtosis services. Check which local ports map to service ports and troubleshoot connectivity. Use when services aren't reachable or you need to find the right port.
Manage Kurtosis Portal for remote context access. Start, stop, and check status of the Portal daemon that enables communication with remote Kurtosis servers. Use when working with remote Kurtosis contexts.