Allow k9s to start without a valid Kubernetes context (#3704)

* allow initialization without a valid connection

* fix: handle nil factory and alias in command and context methods

internal/view/actions.go

@@ -113,6 +113,11 @@ func gotoCmd(r Runner, cmd, path string, clearStack bool) ui.ActionHandler {
 }
 
 func pluginActions(r Runner, aa *ui.KeyActions) error {
+	// Skip plugin loading if no valid connection
+	if r.App().Conn() == nil || !r.App().Conn().ConnectionOK() {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	aa.Range(func(k tcell.Key, a ui.KeyAction) {
 		if a.Opts.Plugin {
 			aa.Delete(k)

internal/view/app.go

@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ package view
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
 	"maps"
@@ -106,11 +105,11 @@ func (a *App) Init(version string, _ int) error {
 	a.App.Init()
 	a.SetInputCapture(a.keyboard)
 	a.bindKeys()
-	if a.Conn() == nil {
-		return errors.New("no client connection detected")
-	}
-	ns := a.Config.ActiveNamespace()
 
+	// Allow initialization even without a valid connection
+	// We'll fall back to context view in defaultCmd
+	if a.Conn() != nil {
+		ns := a.Config.ActiveNamespace()
 		a.factory = watch.NewFactory(a.Conn())
 		a.initFactory(ns)
 
@@ -121,6 +120,7 @@ func (a *App) Init(version string, _ int) error {
 			a.clusterModel.Refresh()
 			a.clusterInfo().Init()
 		}
+	}
 
 	a.command = NewCommand(a)
 	if err := a.command.Init(a.Config.ContextAliasesPath()); err != nil {
@@ -223,6 +223,10 @@ func (a *App) suggestCommand() model.SuggestionFunc {
 }
 
 func (a *App) contextNames() ([]string, error) {
+	// Return empty list if no factory
+	if a.factory == nil {
+		return []string{}, nil
+	}
 	contexts, err := a.factory.Client().Config().Contexts()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -303,7 +307,7 @@ func (a *App) buildHeader() tview.Primitive {
 	}
 
 	clWidth := clusterInfoWidth
-	if a.Conn().ConnectionOK() {
+	if a.Conn() != nil && a.Conn().ConnectionOK() {
 		n, err := a.Conn().Config().CurrentClusterName()
 		if err == nil {
 			size := len(n) + clusterInfoPad
@@ -351,6 +355,11 @@ func (a *App) Resume() {
 }
 
 func (a *App) clusterUpdater(ctx context.Context) {
+	if a.Conn() == nil || !a.Conn().ConnectionOK() || a.factory == nil || a.clusterModel == nil {
+		slog.Debug("Skipping cluster updater - no valid connection")
+		return
+	}
+
 	if err := a.refreshCluster(ctx); err != nil {
 		slog.Error("Cluster updater failed!", slogs.Error, err)
 		return
@@ -379,6 +388,10 @@ func (a *App) clusterUpdater(ctx context.Context) {
 }
 
 func (a *App) refreshCluster(context.Context) error {
+	if a.Conn() == nil || a.factory == nil || a.clusterModel == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	c := a.Content.Top()
 	if ok := a.Conn().CheckConnectivity(); ok {
 		if atomic.LoadInt32(&a.conRetry) > 0 {
@@ -474,7 +487,18 @@ func (a *App) switchContext(ci *cmd.Interpreter, force bool) error {
 		if err := a.Config.Save(true); err != nil {
 			slog.Error("Fail to save config to disk", slogs.Subsys, "config", slogs.Error, err)
 		}
+
+		if a.factory == nil && a.Conn() != nil {
+			a.factory = watch.NewFactory(a.Conn())
+			a.clusterModel = model.NewClusterInfo(a.factory, a.version, a.Config.K9s)
+			a.clusterModel.AddListener(a.clusterInfo())
+			a.clusterModel.AddListener(a.statusIndicator())
+		}
+
+		if a.factory != nil {
 			a.initFactory(ns)
+		}
+
 		if err := a.command.Reset(a.Config.ContextAliasesPath(), true); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -487,8 +511,11 @@ func (a *App) switchContext(ci *cmd.Interpreter, force bool) error {
 		a.Flash().Infof("Switching context to %q::%q", contextName, ns)
 		a.ReloadStyles()
 		a.gotoResource(a.Config.ActiveView(), "", true, true)
+
+		if a.clusterModel != nil {
 			a.clusterModel.Reset(a.factory)
 		}
+	}
 
 	return nil
 }

internal/view/command.go

@@ -47,16 +47,21 @@ func NewCommand(app *App) *Command {
 
 // AliasesFor gather all known aliases for a given resource.
 func (c *Command) AliasesFor(gvr *client.GVR) sets.Set[string] {
+	if c.alias == nil {
+		return sets.New[string]()
+	}
 	return c.alias.AliasesFor(gvr)
 }
 
 // Init initializes the command.
 func (c *Command) Init(path string) error {
+	if c.app.factory != nil {
 		c.alias = dao.NewAlias(c.app.factory)
 		if _, err := c.alias.Ensure(path); err != nil {
 			slog.Error("Ensure aliases failed", slogs.Error, err)
 			return err
 		}
+	}
 	customViewers = loadCustomViewers()
 
 	return nil
@@ -67,6 +72,10 @@ func (c *Command) Reset(path string, nuke bool) error {
 	c.mx.Lock()
 	defer c.mx.Unlock()
 
+	if c.alias == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	if nuke {
 		c.alias.Clear()
 	}
@@ -139,6 +148,9 @@ func (c *Command) xrayCmd(p *cmd.Interpreter, pushCmd bool) error {
 	if !ok {
 		return errors.New("invalid command. use `xray xxx`")
 	}
+	if c.alias == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("no connection available")
+	}
 	gvr, ok := c.alias.Resolve(cmd.NewInterpreter(arg))
 	if !ok {
 		return fmt.Errorf("invalid resource name: %q", arg)
@@ -301,6 +313,9 @@ func (c *Command) specialCmd(p *cmd.Interpreter, pushCmd bool) bool {
 }
 
 func (c *Command) viewMetaFor(p *cmd.Interpreter) (*client.GVR, *MetaViewer, *cmd.Interpreter, error) {
+	if c.alias == nil {
+		return client.NoGVR, nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("no connection available")
+	}
 	gvr, ok := c.alias.Resolve(p)
 	if !ok {
 		return client.NoGVR, nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("`%s` command not found", p.Cmd())