# mirrord — Run Local Code in Kubernetes Cloud Conditions

> mirrord connects your locally running process to a remote Kubernetes cluster, mirroring or stealing traffic from a target pod so you can develop and debug against real cloud conditions without deploying.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# mirrord — Run Local Code in Kubernetes Cloud Conditions

## Quick Use
```bash
brew install metalbear-co/mirrord/mirrord
mirrord exec --target pod/my-app-xyz -- node server.js
```

## Introduction
mirrord lets developers test local code against a remote Kubernetes environment without building images, pushing to a registry, or waiting for deployments. It intercepts traffic, environment variables, and file access from a target pod and redirects them to your local process, giving you production-like conditions on your laptop.

## What mirrord Does
- Mirrors or intercepts incoming network traffic from a target Kubernetes pod to your local process
- Proxies environment variables and mounted config from the remote pod
- Forwards DNS resolution through the cluster so local code resolves service names
- Provides remote file system access so your process reads files from the pod
- Works with any language or framework since it operates at the OS level

## Architecture Overview
mirrord injects a lightweight agent as an ephemeral container into the target pod. The agent captures network traffic using eBPF hooks and forwards it over a secure connection to the mirrord client running on the developer's machine. The client hooks the local process using LD_PRELOAD (Linux) or DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES (macOS), intercepting system calls for networking, file I/O, and environment access.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install via brew, curl script, or as a VS Code / JetBrains IDE extension
- No cluster-side installation required; the agent is injected on-demand as an ephemeral container
- Configure target pod, namespace, and traffic mode (mirror or steal) via a JSON config file
- Restrict which paths are read remotely versus locally using file filter patterns
- RBAC: the user needs permissions to create ephemeral containers in the target namespace

## Key Features
- Zero cluster-side setup with on-demand ephemeral agent injection
- Traffic mirroring for read-only observation or stealing for full interception
- IDE integration with one-click debug for VS Code and JetBrains
- Works with any language, framework, or runtime — no SDK required
- Configurable filters for network ports, file paths, and environment variables

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Telepresence** — Requires a cluster-side traffic manager; mirrord uses ephemeral containers with no persistent install
- **kubectl port-forward** — Only forwards ports; mirrord also proxies env vars, DNS, and files
- **Skaffold dev** — Redeploys on changes; mirrord avoids the build/push/deploy cycle entirely
- **Eclipse Che** — Full cloud IDE; mirrord keeps you in your local IDE

## FAQ
**Q: Does mirrord modify the target pod?**
A: It adds a temporary ephemeral container that is removed when the session ends. The original containers are untouched.

**Q: Can multiple developers use mirrord on the same pod?**
A: Yes. In mirror mode, multiple developers can observe the same traffic. Steal mode is typically one-at-a-time per port.

**Q: Does mirrord work on macOS?**
A: Yes. It supports macOS (x86_64 and ARM64) and Linux.

**Q: Is mirrord free?**
A: The open-source CLI and IDE extensions are free. MetalBear offers mirrord for Teams with additional features.

## Sources
- https://github.com/metalbear-co/mirrord
- https://mirrord.dev/docs

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/1c69a073-3adf-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: Script Depot