rpk-redpanda

name

rpk-redpanda

description

Operate a self-managed Redpanda broker process and node from the CLI using the `rpk redpanda` command family and `rpk iotune`: node lifecycle (start/stop), production vs. development mode, kernel autotuning, node configuration (redpanda.yaml), and per-node Admin API operations including broker decommission/recommission. Self-managed only — these commands operate the broker process on the node itself and don't apply to Redpanda Cloud clusters. Use when starting or stopping a broker, bootstrapping redpanda.yaml, switching node mode, running the autotuner, benchmarking disk I/O with iotune, or decommissioning a broker via the admin listener. For cluster-wide operations (cluster config, partition movement, maintenance mode, cluster health), see /redpanda:rpk-cluster.

rpk redpanda: Node Lifecycle, Tuning & Broker Decommission

The rpk redpanda family operates a single Redpanda broker process and its host node: starting/stopping the process, editing the node's local redpanda.yaml, tuning the Linux kernel for production, and talking to a broker's Admin API listener (including broker decommission/recommission). rpk iotune (a separate top-level command) benchmarks the node's disk hardware for the same node-provisioning story.

Self-managed only. These commands manage the broker process on the node itself. They are not applicable to Redpanda Cloud (Serverless, BYOC, Dedicated), where Redpanda operates the brokers. Most of the family is also Linux-only: start, stop, mode, check, tune, config, and iotune are hidden on macOS/Windows builds of rpk — only the admin subtree (which talks to a possibly-remote Admin API) is available everywhere.

Command Tree