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Using Knative with Code Engine

Using Knative with Code Engine

IBM Cloud® Code Engine is designed so that you do not need to interact with the underlying technology it is built upon. However, if you have existing tools that are based on Knative, you can still use it with Code Engine. Code Engine supports the Knative APIs (and Kubernetes) and their CLI commands. For more information about Kubernetes, see Using Kubernetes with Code Engine.

What is the supported version of Knative?

Code Engine supports the version 1.11 Knative APIs and its CLI commands.

Installing the Knative command-line interface

To install Knative (kn), download and install the Knative CLI.

To use Knative with Code Engine, you must first set up your environment to interact with the Kubernetes API of Code Engine. For more information, see Installing the Kubernetes command-line interface.

For more information about Kubernetes and Knative and how they work with Code Engine architecture, see Learning about Code Engine architecture and workload isolation.

Interacting with Kubernetes API

To interact with your project from the Kubernetes command-line interface, kubectl, or with Knative, kn you must set up your environment to interact with the Kubernetes API of Code Engine.

Before you begin

You can set up your environment in the following ways.

  • You can add the --kubecfg option to your project select command. For example,

    ibmcloud ce project select --name PROJECT_NAME --kubecfg
    
  • You can export the kubeconfig file directly. Run the ibmcloud ce project current command to find the project that you are currently targeting. This command also returns the export command for your kubeconfig file. For example,

    ibmcloud ce project current
    

    Example output

    Getting the current project context...
    OK
    
    Name:       myproject
    ID:         01234567-abcd-abcd-abcd-abcdabcd1111
    Subdomain:  aabon2dfwa0
    Domain:     us-south.codeengine.appdomain.cloud
    Region:     us-south
    Kubectl Context:  4svg40kna19
    
    Kubernetes Config:
    Context:             aabon2dfwa0
    Environment Variable: export KUBECONFIG=/user/myusername/.bluemix/plugins/code-engine/myproject-01234567-abcd-abcd-abcd-abcdabcd1111.yaml
    

    Then, copy the export command, paste it into your command-line interface, and run it.

Verify that your environment is set correctly by running the kubectl config command.

kubectl config current-context

If the context is correctly set, the output matches the Kubectl Context value of your project. For example, if your Kubectl Context value of your project is 4svg40kna19, the command returns 4svg40kna19.

For more information about Kubernetes and how it works with Code Engine architecture, see Learning about Code Engine architecture and workload isolation.

Required access authorities to work with Knative API

After you set up your environment, you can interact with Knative API. You must have the correct level of authority for specific tasks. These roles are set in Identity and access management. See IBM Cloud service roles.

Table 1. Knative authorities
Resource Manager role Writer role Reader role
services.serving.knative.dev get, list, watch, create, delete, update, patch, apply, edit get, list, watch, create, delete, update, patch, apply, edit get, list, watch
configurations.serving.knative.dev get, list, watch, create, delete, update, patch, apply, edit get, list, watch, create, delete, update, patch, apply, edit get, list, watch
routes.serving.knative.dev get, list, watch, create, delete, update, patch, apply, edit get, list, watch, create, delete, update, patch, apply, edit get, list, watch
revisions.serving.knative.dev get, list, watch, create, delete, update, patch, apply, edit get, list, watch, create, delete, update, patch, apply, edit get, list, watch
pingsource.serving.knative.dev get, list, watch, create, delete, update, patch, apply, edit get, list, watch, create, delete, update, patch, apply, edit get, list, watch
kafkasource.serving.knative.dev get, list, watch, create, delete, update, patch, apply, edit get, list, watch, create, delete, update, patch, apply, edit get, list, watch