K9s is a CLI tool that extends kubectl, the Kubernetes CLI. It displays all information about your cluster in a semi-graphical terminal UI, making standard kubectl actions much simpler and faster—a bit like using a Vim-style terminal.

These are the main commands that you can enter after starting K9s by pressing : :

Command / Key Role
? Get help
ns See all namespaces and select one with Enter
pods See all pods in the current namespace
ingress See all ingresses in the current namespace
svc See all services in the current namespace
deploy See all deployments in the current namespace
cm See all configmaps in the current namespace
secret See all secrets in the current namespace

These are the ways you can interact with the resources you've listed above, you don't need : for them:

Command / Key Role
Enter Select a resource / drill down
d Describe a resource (YAML view)
l See logs of the selected resource
s Open a shell inside the container (kubectl exec)
k Delete (kill) a resource
e Edit the manifest live