Explore OpenShift

OpenShift provides two primary interfaces for interacting with the platform: a web-based console for visual management and a command-line interface for scripting and advanced operations. In this section, you’ll learn how to access and use both tools effectively.

The Web Console

The OpenShift Console provides an intuitive graphical interface for managing your projects, applications, and cluster resources. It’s accessible from any modern web browser and is designed to simplify common administrative and development tasks.

Accessing the OpenShift Web Console

openshift console login

To access the OpenShift Console, navigate to the following URL in your browser and log in using the provided credentials:

Console URL: https://console.apps.cluster.example.com

Username: userX

Password: password

Once logged in, you’ll see the main dashboard where you can view your projects and navigate through the platform’s features.

openshift console dashboard

Command Line Interface

While the web console is excellent for visual management, the OpenShift CLI (oc) provides powerful automation capabilities and access to advanced features. The CLI is a single executable written in Go and is available for Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Verifying the CLI Installation

The CLI has been pre-installed in your workshop environment. Verify it’s available and check the version:

oc version

You should see output similar to this:

Client Version: 4.14.0
Server Version: 4.19.0
Kubernetes Version: v1.32.5

Logging in with the CLI

Authenticate with the OpenShift cluster using the command line:

oc login --insecure-skip-tls-verify=false -u userX -p password https://api.cluster.example.com:6443

This command authenticates you to the cluster using your username and password.

Alternatively, you can use a token for authentication. To obtain a token, use the Copy login command option in the OpenShift Web Console as shown.
openshift console login command

Verifying Your Access

Let’s confirm that you’re properly authenticated and can access your assigned resources.

First, verify your login credentials:

oc whoami

Your username should be displayed:

userX

Next, verify that you can view the project(s) assigned to you:

oc projects

Output similar to the following example should be displayed:

You have one project on this server: "Workspace (wksp-userX)".

Using project "wksp-userX" on server "https://api.cluster.example.com:6443".

Great! You now have access to OpenShift through both the web console and command line interface. In the following sections, you’ll use these tools to deploy and manage applications on the platform.