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Lens 2023.09.19 - The One with the Applications View#

Release Date: September 19, 2023

Over a million users and tens-of-thousands of businesses develop and operate their Kubernetes on Lens. It is the largest and the most advanced Kubernetes platform in the world. It removes complexity, helps with developer onboarding and improves productivity. While Lens is already great for working with Kubernetes clusters on a daily basis, this release brings a whole new dimension of Lens aimed at helping developers discover and troubleshoot their applications.

Lens Applications View#

When Kubernetes first stepped onto the tech stage, it brought with it a revolution in orchestrating containerized applications. However, with its expansive ecosystem and versatile resource types, it can be daunting to navigate and manage these resources effectively.

Recognizing this challenge, Kubernetes introduced a set of Recommended Labels that serve as a common set of annotations for applications. These labels, such as app.kubernetes.io/name for application name, app.kubernetes.io/version for the current version, and app.kubernetes.io/component for the specific component, offer an organized way to keep track of each part of your application architecture.

Introducing Lens Applications View#

Navigation in Lens Desktop follows the Kubernetes API structure of clusters, nodes, workloads, configs, network, storage, namespaces, etc. But for some users, especially developers who might be less familiar with Kubernetes, even this tree can be daunting and complex.

That's why we're excited to introduce "Applications", a new view designed to simplify how you interact with running applications in your cluster based on these Kubernetes recommended labels. Think of it as your centralized command center for application health, performance, and security. Once you connect to a cluster, you can find Applications at the top level of the menu.

Application Details#

Click on any application to explore in-depth details. In addition to familiar status and metrics, you'll find information about its management, relationships, and any associated internal or external URLs. You can also see what pods and resources an application contains, as well as any vulnerabilities or events associated with an application.

Integration with New Lens AppIQ Cloud Service#

Lens AppIQ is a cloud service that complements Lens Desktop by offering real-time intelligence and additional insights into the apps running on your Kubernetes clusters. This not only makes debugging, operation, and security easier but also opens up Kubernetes to a broader audience of developers who can benefit from streamlined processes without having to become Kubernetes experts.

Important Update to Lens Terms of Service#

Updates to the Terms of Service took effect on September 19, 2023, including: - Clarification of language to make terms more understandable - New security protocols and guidelines - Compliance with global best practices, including EU regulations - Guidelines regarding the new Lens AppIQ Cloud Service

Lens Security Center Features#

  • Added resizable columns to the Security Center overview table.
  • Added ability to export CSV files of images, resources, and roles.

Performance Improvements#

  • Improved overall performance by loading objects from the kubernetes API in smaller chunks.
  • Improved performance in Lens Security Center for large clusters.

Bug Fixes#

  • Render correct checkbox state in tables
  • Make base font size a bit smaller
  • Converted zero bytes correctly for metrics
  • Check status of fetch in Kubectl.downloadKubectl()
  • Created workload tab in the extension API
  • Show latest value for HelmReleases when the release secrets update
  • Display share menu only on mac
  • Make overview status bg color consistent
  • Trivy resource updates in Security Center
  • Reword exposed secrets not scanned tooltip in Security Center
  • WSL profile edit mount toggle value for Lens Desktop Kube