# strimzi-kafka-cli

Gives your AI agent 42 tools to manage Kafka clusters, topics, users and connectors through the Strimzi operator.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed · ★ 91
- Author: SystemCraftsman
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/SystemCraftsman/strimzi-kafka-cli
- Updated: 2026-08-13
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/strimzi-kafka-cli

## What it does

Strimzi Kafka CLI wraps the `kfk` command for running Apache Kafka on Kubernetes with the Strimzi operator. The bundled MCP server exposes that to an agent: clusters, topics, users, Kafka Connect, MirrorMaker2, ACLs, node pools and backups. 42 tools in total, from `list_kafkas` and `create_topic` to `install_operator` and `backup_kafka`.

Start it with `kfk mcp`, or register it for Claude with `claude mcp add strimzi-kafka-cli -- kfk mcp`. Strimzi resources download on the first `kfk` call, and the CLI talks to your cluster through the Python Kubernetes client. Python 3.11 or newer is required, so older interpreters won't install it.

Install via `pip` or `pipx`, adding the `[mcp]` extra for server support. The Homebrew route ships MCP by default and keeps your main Python environment untouched. If you already run Kafka on Kubernetes, driving it from the agent instead of the terminal saves a lot of `kubectl` typing.

## Requirements
- Needs: Python and uv (commands run via uvx)
- Works with: Kubernetes

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add strimzi-kafka-cli -- uvx strimzi-kafka-cli
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from strimzi-kafka-cli <command>

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add strimzi-kafka-cli -- uvx strimzi-kafka-cli
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from strimzi-kafka-cli <command>

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "strimzi-kafka-cli": {
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "strimzi-kafka-cli"
            ]
        }
    }
}
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from strimzi-kafka-cli <command>

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "strimzi-kafka-cli": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "strimzi-kafka-cli"
            ]
        }
    }
}
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from strimzi-kafka-cli <command>

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add strimzi-kafka-cli uvx strimzi-kafka-cli
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from strimzi-kafka-cli <command>

## When to use it
- create a topic with a custom config without hand-writing YAML
- list Kafka clusters and check their status
- add a user with the right access rules
- deploy a Kafka Connect connector from the agent
- back up a cluster before making changes

## Example prompts
- List all Kafka clusters in the kafka namespace
- Create a topic named orders with 6 partitions and replication factor 3
- Back up my-cluster and save it to a file

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---
NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md