Here is the correct and updated step-by-step guide to install and configure OpenShift Local (formerly CRC – CodeReady Containers) on Linux laptops/desktops for local development and testing.

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🐧 OpenShift Local on Linux – Overview

Feature	Description
Product Name	OpenShift Local (formerly CodeReady Containers – CRC)
CLI Tool Name	crc
Cluster Type	Single-node OpenShift 4.x cluster
Virtualization	Uses QEMU/KVM + libvirt
Ideal For	Developers testing OpenShift workloads locally

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✅ System Requirements

Requirement	Value
OS	Fedora, RHEL, CentOS, Ubuntu, Debian
CPU	Min 4 cores
RAM	Min 9 GB (16 GB recommended)
Disk Space	Min 35+ GB free
Virtualization	KVM/QEMU enabled, libvirt installed
Pull Secret	Required from Red Hat account

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🧰 Step 1: Install Required Packages

🔹 Fedora / RHEL / CentOS:

sudo dnf install @virtualization libvirt libvirt-daemon-kvm qemu-kvm
sudo systemctl enable --now libvirtd
sudo usermod -a -G libvirt $(whoami)
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

🔹 Ubuntu / Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y qemu-kvm libvirt-daemon-system libvirt-clients bridge-utils virt-manager
sudo systemctl enable --now libvirtd
sudo usermod -aG libvirt $(whoami)
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

🔁 Logout and re-login to apply group changes.

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📥 Step 2: Download OpenShift Local (CRC) & Pull Secret

1. Visit: https://console.redhat.com/openshift/create/local
2. Sign in or register with a free Red Hat account.
3. Download:
   • Linux CRC archive (e.g. crc-linux-amd64.tar.xz)
   • Pull Secret and save it as pull-secret.txt

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📦 Step 3: Install the crc Binary

tar -xvf crc-linux-*.tar.xz
sudo mv crc-linux-*/crc /usr/local/bin/crc
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

Check the version:

crc version

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🔧 Step 4: Setup the Cluster

crc setup --pull-secret ~/Downloads/pull-secret.txt
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

Replace the path to the actual location of your pull secret.

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▶️ Step 5: Start the OpenShift Cluster

crc start

• This initializes and boots the OpenShift VM
• Takes 5–15 minutes to fully start

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🌐 Step 6: Access the Web Console

After the cluster starts, it will output a URL like:

https://console-openshift-console.apps-crc.testing
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

Login Credentials:

Role	Username	Password
Admin	kubeadmin	Printed in terminal output
Developer	developer	developer

Open the URL in your browser and login using the credentials.

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🧪 Step 7: Use the OpenShift CLI

Configure CLI access:

eval $(crc oc-env)
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

Login via CLI:

oc login -u developer -p developer https://api.crc.testing:6443
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

You can now deploy workloads, create namespaces, and test apps locally.

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🔁 Cluster Management Commands

Action	Command
Stop cluster	crc stop
Delete cluster	crc delete
Check status	crc status

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⚠️ Common Issues & Fixes

Issue	Fix
libvirt permission errors	Ensure you are in the libvirt group (groups command)
DNS resolution fails	Disable VPN or firewall; restart NetworkManager
CRC start fails with bundle error	Use latest CRC version from Red Hat site
No CRC command	Reboot OR ensure /usr/local/bin is in your PATH

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📎 Notes

• CRC installs a single-node OpenShift cluster optimized for development.
• It’s not meant for production or multi-node use.
• Automatically sets up a VM using libvirt with a .crc domain.

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