How to Run Kubernetes Locally Without Docker Desktop (Using k0s)

Running Kubernetes locally is often associated with tools like Docker Desktop, Minikube, or kind. But maybe:

You don’t want to use Docker Desktop (licensing / performance / fallback reasons)
You want something lightweight and production-like
You want full Kubernetes, not a simplified local version

This is where k0s comes in.
It’s a zero-friction Kubernetes distribution, batteries included, simple to install, and works great for learning, testing, or small homelabs.

Why Avoid Docker Desktop?

Not hating Docker Desktop is convenient, but:

Reason	Explanation
High Resource Usage	It runs background services and a full Linux VM.
License Restrictions	Organizations often need paid licenses.
Not Ideal for K8s Learning	Hides key networking and runtime internals.

If you want a real Kubernetes cluster feel with very low overhead, k0s and k3s are great fits.

Which One Should You Use?

Feature	k0s	k3s
Purpose	Cloud-native single-node or production cluster	Edge computing + lightweight IoT
Runtime	containerd built-in	containerd (default)
Install	Extremely simple	Also simple
Good for	Developers + homelabs	Small clusters, ARM boards, edge setups

In this tutorial, we will use k0s because it’s very clean and runs well on macOS via virtualization.

Prerequisites

You can follow this guide on any of the following:

Platform	Setup Required
Linux (Ubuntu / Debian / Fedora etc.)	You’re good, install directly
macOS	Run an Ubuntu VM (UTM / Parallels / VMware / QEMU)
Windows	Run Ubuntu in WSL2 or a VM

Important: k0s runs on Linux, but you can still control the cluster from macOS/Windows using kubectl.

Step 1: Install k0s

Inside your Linux environment (or VM) run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install curl -y
curl -sSLf https://get.k0s.sh | sudo bash

Verify:

k0s version

Step 2: Create a Single-Node Kubernetes Cluster

sudo k0s install controller --single

Start it:

sudo k0s start

Check status:

k0s status

Step 3: Enable kubectl Access

Create the kubeconfig:

mkdir -p ~/.kube
sudo k0s kubeconfig admin > ~/.kube/config
chmod 600 ~/.kube/config

Test Kubernetes:

kubectl get nodes

You should see something like:

NAME       STATUS   ROLES           AGE   VERSION
k0s-node   Ready    control-plane   30s   v1.30.x

You now have Kubernetes running without Docker Desktop!

Why This Setup Is Great

Feature	k0s Benefit
Lightweight	Uses less RAM/CPU than Docker Desktop or MicroK8s
Simpler	One binary installs everything
Real Kubernetes	Not a simulation like kind/minikube
Cloud-ready	Same config can run on servers later

Conclusion

You don’t need Docker Desktop to run Kubernetes locally.

Just:

Use Linux (or run Linux in a VM)
Install k0s
Start your cluster
Use kubectl like normal

You now have a full Kubernetes environment ready for:

Local development
CI testing
Homelab setups
Learning & experimentation

How to Run Kubernetes Locally Without Docker Desktop (Using k0s)

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Why Avoid Docker Desktop?

Which One Should You Use?

Prerequisites

Step 1: Install k0s

Step 2: Create a Single-Node Kubernetes Cluster

Step 3: Enable kubectl Access

Why This Setup Is Great

Conclusion

Command Palette

More from this blog

Why Avoid Docker Desktop?

Which One Should You Use?

Prerequisites

Step 1: Install k0s

Step 2: Create a Single-Node Kubernetes Cluster

Step 3: Enable kubectl Access

Why This Setup Is Great

Conclusion