Last modified August 14, 2025

Kubernetes resource annotation reference

Notice: Annotations on Kubernetes resources are set by many different parties, and for various reasons. In this overview we explain our reasons for using a relevant set of annotations, and which values or value format is expected. If you are missing information, please consult upstream documentation from Kubernetes etc., or ask a Giant Swarm contact for more information. Also check our corresponding labels reference page.

app-operator.giantswarm.io/cordon-reason

On an App or Chart resource, this annotation indicates the reason why app-operator should currently not reconcile this app, until the app-operator.giantswarm.io/cordon-until date has passed.

More information: Source

app-operator.giantswarm.io/cordon-until

On an App or Chart resource, this annotation indicates a date until which app-operator should currently not reconcile this app. If specified, the app-operator.giantswarm.io/cordon-reason annotation should also be set.

More information: Source

cluster.giantswarm.io/description

Used on the Cluster resource to provide a human-readable description of the cluster. This description is shown in Giant Swarm web interfaces.

kustomize.toolkit.fluxcd.io/force

Can be set on any resource to control Flux reconciliation behaviour. The value can be either Enabled or Disabled. If set to Enabled, Flux will replace the resources in-cluster if the patching fails due to immutable field changes. More details in the Flux docs.

kustomize.toolkit.fluxcd.io/prune

The value disabled on any resource disables Flux garbage collection for this resource. More details in the Flux docs.

kustomize.toolkit.fluxcd.io/reconcile

Used on any resource. When set to disabled, Flux will no longer apply changes, nor will it prune the resource. Flux docs.

kustomize.toolkit.fluxcd.io/ssa

Used on any resource to control the server-side apply behaviour of Flux. The values Override, Merge, IfNotPresent, and Ignore can occur. More information on these settings is available in the Flux docs.

network-topology.giantswarm.io/mode

Found on the AWSCluster resource for Cluster API provider AWS (CAPA) clusters. Specifies how transit gateways for the cluster will get set up in AWS. Possible values are: None, GiantSwarmManaged, UserManaged.

More information: Source

network-topology.giantswarm.io/transit-gateway

Found on the AWSCluster resource for Cluster API provider AWS (CAPA) clusters. Specifies the ID of the transit gateway to use when the topology mode (network-topology.giantswarm.io/mode) is set to UserManaged.

More information: Source

network-topology.giantswarm.io/prefix-list

Found on the AWSCluster resource for Cluster API provider AWS (CAPA) clusters. Specifies the ID of the managed prefix list to use when the topology mode (network-topology.giantswarm.io/mode) is set to UserManaged.

More information: Source

reconcile.fluxcd.io/requestedAt

On a Flux resource, this annotation indicates that a Flux reconciliation has been requested. More info in the Flux docs on HelmReleases, for example.

reconcile.fluxcd.io/forceAt

On a HelmRelease resource, this annotation indicates that a forceful Helm install or upgrade has been requested. More info in the Flux docs.