Tekton PipelineRun resource quota exceeded

What is Tekton PipelineRun resource quota exceeded

Understanding Tekton and Its Purpose

Tekton is an open-source framework for creating CI/CD systems. It provides a Kubernetes-native way to define and run continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines. Tekton allows developers to automate the process of building, testing, and deploying applications across different environments.

Identifying the Symptom: PipelineRun Resource Quota Exceeded

When working with Tekton, you might encounter an error indicating that the PipelineRun resource quota has been exceeded. This error typically manifests when attempting to execute a pipeline, and it fails to start due to resource limitations.

What You Observe

The error message might look something like this: "Error: PipelineRun resource quota exceeded". This indicates that the resources allocated for the PipelineRun in the Kubernetes namespace have surpassed the defined limits.

Explaining the Issue: Resource Quota Limitations

The root cause of this issue is usually tied to the namespace resource quota settings in Kubernetes. A resource quota is a tool used to limit the number of resources that can be consumed by a namespace, such as CPU, memory, and the number of objects like Pods or PipelineRuns.

Why This Happens

When the resource quota is exceeded, Kubernetes prevents additional resources from being created, which in this case, stops the PipelineRun from executing. This is a safeguard to ensure fair resource distribution and prevent any single namespace from monopolizing cluster resources.

Steps to Resolve the PipelineRun Resource Quota Issue

To resolve this issue, you can either increase the resource quota for the namespace or optimize your resource usage. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Check Current Resource Quota

First, verify the current resource quota settings for your namespace. You can do this using the following command:

kubectl get resourcequota -n <your-namespace>

This command will display the current resource limits and usage.

Step 2: Increase Resource Quota

If you determine that the quota needs to be increased, edit the resource quota configuration. Use the following command to edit:

kubectl edit resourcequota <resourcequota-name> -n <your-namespace>

Modify the limits as needed, for example, increasing the number of allowed PipelineRuns.

Step 3: Apply Changes

After editing, save the changes. Kubernetes will automatically apply the new quota settings. Verify the changes by re-running the command from Step 1.

Optimizing Resource Usage

If increasing the quota is not feasible, consider optimizing your resource usage:

Review and optimize the resource requests and limits for your Tekton tasks and pipelines. Remove or scale down unnecessary or idle resources.

Additional Resources

For more information on managing resource quotas in Kubernetes, refer to the official Kubernetes Resource Quotas documentation. To learn more about Tekton, visit the Tekton Documentation.