How to delete pods and deployments — kubectl delete

You want a pod restarted by its controller, or a deployment removed entirely.

Placeholders follow the cheatsheet: web is a deployment/pod name and app.yaml is your manifest. Most commands act on the current namespace — add -n <ns> to target another one.

kubectl delete pod web-6d9f7c5b4-x2abc   # the controller recreates it — that's the point (self-healing)
kubectl delete deployment web            # delete the deployment itself (and its pods)
kubectl delete -f app.yaml               # delete everything a manifest created

Good to know

Deleting a pod is safe by design: its controller recreates it (self-healing). Deleting the deployment removes the deployment itself and its pods.

kubectl Cheatsheet one-page card — commands that actually work — The full one-page card — kubectl Cheatsheet. Get the complete cheatsheet on GitHub