ahmetb/kubectx · error

kubeconfig error: %w

Error message

kubeconfig error: %w

What it means

Wrapper error in deleteContext: kc.Parse() failed to load or decode the kubeconfig file(s) before the delete could start. The root cause (missing file, bad YAML, permission) is wrapped with %w; deletion aborts for this context.

Source

Thrown at cmd/kubectx/delete.go:58

			return fmt.Errorf("error deleting context \"%s\": %w", deletedName, err)
		}
		if wasActiveContext {
			printer.Warning(stderr, "You deleted the current context. Use \"%s\" to select a new context.",
				selfName())
		}

		_ = printer.Success(stderr, `Deleted context %s.`, printer.SuccessColor.Sprint(deletedName))
	}
	return nil
}

// deleteContext deletes a context entry by NAME or current-context
// indicated by ".".
func deleteContext(name string) (deleteName string, wasActiveContext bool, err error) {
	kc := new(kubeconfig.Kubeconfig).WithLoader(kubeconfig.DefaultLoader)
	defer kc.Close()
	if err := kc.Parse(); err != nil {
		return deleteName, false, fmt.Errorf("kubeconfig error: %w", err)
	}

	cur, err := kc.GetCurrentContext()
	if err != nil {
		return deleteName, false, fmt.Errorf("failed to get current context: %w", err)
	}
	// resolve "." to a real name
	if name == "." {
		if cur == "" {
			return deleteName, false, errors.New("can't use '.' as the no active context is set")
		}
		wasActiveContext = true
		name = cur
	}

	exists, err := kc.ContextExists(name)
	if err != nil {
		return name, false, fmt.Errorf("failed to check context: %w", err)

View on GitHub (pinned to 12ad6fb22e)

Solutions

1. Fix the kubeconfig per the wrapped cause (validate with `kubectl config view`)
2. Check file permissions and KUBECONFIG env var

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cmd/kubectx/delete.go:58 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of ahmetb/kubectx@12ad6fb22e (2026-09-02). Data as JSON: /api/errors/9f5acf139359c8d0. Report an issue: GitHub.