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Configure TKA Settings

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Configure TKA CLI settings such as output themes, debug logging, and behavior preferences using the configuration system.

Overview

TKA provides a configuration system similar to git config that allows you to:

  • Set persistent preferences for output formatting
  • Control debug and logging behavior
  • Customize API retry settings
  • Configure default values for common flags

Configuration values are stored in YAML format and can be managed through the CLI.

Configuration File Location

TKA searches for configuration files in this order:

  1. Home config: ~/.config/tka/config.yaml
  2. System config: /etc/tka/config.yaml (Linux/macOS)

The first file found is used. If no configuration file exists, TKA uses built-in defaults.

Basic Usage

  1. View Current Configuration

    Display all current settings:

    tka config

    Example output:

    api:
    retryafterseconds: 1
debug: false
output:
    long: true
    markdownlint-fix: false
    quiet: false
    theme: tokyo-night

  2. Get a Specific Setting

    Check the value of a specific configuration key:

    # Check current theme
tka config output.theme

# Check debug setting
tka config debug

  3. Set Configuration Values

    Change configuration settings:

    # Set output theme
tka config output.theme dracula

# Enable debug logging
tka config debug true

# Disable long output by default
tka config output.long false

Common Configuration Tasks

Change Output Theme

TKA supports multiple color themes for different terminal environments:

# Dark themes (good for dark terminals)
tka config output.theme tokyo-night  # Default, purple/blue accents
tka config output.theme dracula      # Vibrant colors
tka config output.theme dark         # Simple dark
tka config output.theme light        # Light theme (good for light terminals)
tka config output.theme ascii        # Plaintext theme (no colors, good for scripts/CI)

# Check current theme
tka config output.theme

Control Output Verbosity

Adjust how much information TKA shows:

tka config output.long true   # Show detailed output by default
tka config output.long false  # Use concise output by default
tka config output.quiet true  # Suppress non-essential messages
tka config output.quiet false # Re-enable all output

Enable Debug Logging

Useful for troubleshooting:

tka config debug true # Enable debug mode

# Test with debug output
tka login --no-eval --long # Shows detailed debug information

# Disable debug mode
tka config debug false

Adjust API Behavior

Configure retry behavior for slow networks:

tka config api.retryafterseconds 3 # Increase retry delay for slow networks
tka config api.retryafterseconds 1 # Reset to default

View Cluster Information

You can view the cluster information that TKA exposes to understand the cluster you're connecting to:

$ tka get cluster-info

ℹ Cluster Information:
    ╭───────────────────────────────────────────╮
    │ Server URL: https://clusterpi-leader:6443 │
    │                                           │
    │ Insecure:   false                         │
    │ CA Data:    LS0tLS1CRUdJTiBDRVJU...tLS0K  │
    │                                           │
    │ Labels:     environment=development       │
    │             owner=specht-labs             │
    │             project=tka                   │
    ╰───────────────────────────────────────────╯

This information is particularly useful for:

  • Verifying the correct cluster endpoint
  • Understanding cluster labels for automation
  • Debugging connection issues
  • Confirming TLS configuration

Configuration File Management

Create Configuration File

If no configuration file exists, use --force to create one:

# Create config file and set a value
tka config output.theme dracula --force

This creates ~/.config/tka/config.yaml with your setting.

View Configuration File Location

See which configuration file is being used:

# Show config with filename
tka get config --filename

# Show only the config file path
tka get config --filename --quiet

Troubleshooting

Configuration Not Found

Problem: TKA doesn't seem to use your configuration

Solutions:

# Check which config file is being used
tka get config --filename

# Verify file exists
ls -la ~/.config/tka/config.yaml

# Check file permissions
cat ~/.config/tka/config.yaml

Settings Not Persisting

Problem: Configuration changes don't persist

Solutions:

# Ensure you have write permissions
ls -la ~/.config/tka/

# Try creating config explicitly
tka config output.theme dracula --force

# Check if config file was created
tka get config --filename

Multiple Configuration Files

Problem: Unsure which configuration file is active

Solutions:

# Show active config file
tka get config --filename

# List all possible config locations
ls -la ./config.yaml ~/.config/tka/config.yaml /etc/tka/config.yaml 2>/dev/null

Next Steps