Where Is the Kustomize Config File?
Kustomize reads kustomization.yaml in each overlay folder, composing bases and patches at build time.
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Kustomize configures from kustomization.yaml files inside the repo, not from a global location. Each overlay folder carries one naming its bases, patches, and generators. The build output exists only in memory until applied.
Bases share common resources while overlays tweak per environment. Remote bases pin to URLs with version suffixes for reproducibility. Editors offer no central settings because the repo files are the whole configuration.
Where Kustomize stores this, by platform
[ProjectDir]/kustomization.yaml
Per overlay file with resources, patches, and images. Build with kubectl kustomize on the folder. Keep overlays thin over shared bases.
[ProjectDir]/kustomization.yaml
Same in repo layout. Remote bases resolve identically across systems. Commit the file with the manifests it composes.
[ProjectDir]\kustomization.yaml
Same file on Windows. Path separators inside follow YAML conventions. Exact filename variants like .yml also resolve.
Frequently asked questions
Where do Kustomize patches live?
Beside the kustomization.yaml that references them, usually in the overlay folder. Patches apply in listed order. Keep each patch focused on one change.
Can I preview a Kustomize build?
Run kubectl kustomize on the overlay directory to print the composed manifests. Nothing touches the cluster. Diff that output before applying.
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