A command-line interface for interaction with Apache Kafka
Publisher’s description
What is kafkactl?
kafkactl is an open-source terminals & cli tool program for Windows from deviceinsight. It is written in Go.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit as Portable. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 5.21.0, released on October 9, 2026. 27 versions are listed since March 14, 2024, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 11 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (deviceinsight/kafkactl) has 1,072 stars. Similar programs include PowerShell, Oh My Posh and fzf.
Project description on GitHub: “Command Line Tool for managing Apache Kafka”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Portable: runs without installation
- Frequent updates (about 11 a year)
In short: kafkactl is an open-source terminals & cli tool tool for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit PCs. It is actively maintained.
Is kafkactl safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
445510CE7CC6855228866A4D99D6C90E01C4DF28812C54E820A987A89BE7B8EA· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the deviceinsight/kafkactl repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on November 2, 2026.
- No dangerous workflows10
- No binaries in the repository10
- Actively maintained10
- Licence declared10
- Published packages10
- Code review6
- Restricted token permissions0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Security policy0
- Fuzzing0
- Pinned dependencies0
- Signed releases0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 27 versions ›27 versions over 3 years · about 11 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.21.0Latest | October 9, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 5.20.0 | July 30, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 5.19.0 | May 13, 2026 | — | 32-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 5.18.0 | February 12, 2026 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 5.17.1 | February 3, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 5.17.0 | January 7, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 5.16.0 | December 3, 2025 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 5.15.0 | November 13, 2025 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id deviceinsight.kafkactl -eRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- deviceinsight
- Category
- Terminals & CLI tools
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/deviceinsight/kafkactl
- Written in
- Go
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64, 32-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 5.21.0
- Released
- October 9, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- March 15, 2024
- Versions listed
- 27
- Updates / year
- 10.5
- Downloads on ExeAtlas
- 4
- GitHub stars
- 1,072
- GitHub forks
- 113
- Website
- device-insight.com
- winget ID
- deviceinsight.kafkactl
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is kafkactl free?
Yes. kafkactl is open-source software under the Apache-2.0 licence.
Is kafkactl safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install kafkactl with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does kafkactl run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of kafkactl?
The versions page lists all 27 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 14, 2024.
Can I use kafkactl without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to kafkactl?
PowerShell, Oh My Posh, fzf, QPDF and yq. The alternatives page compares them.