generated: '2026-09-02'
method: searched
source: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/operations/uninstall/
provider: Ambient Mesh
providerId: ambient-mesh
description: >-
  Ambient Mesh is operated from the command line, and ambientmesh.io documents
  the exact command surface. Ambient Mesh does not publish a CLI of its own —
  the binary is `istioctl`, published by the upstream Istio project (a separate
  catalog entry), used alongside `kubectl` and `helm`. This artifact records the
  commands the provider's own documentation tells an operator to run, with that
  attribution stated rather than implied.

binary: istioctl
publisher: Istio project (upstream)
official_to_this_provider: false
package: see packages/ambient-mesh-packages.yml
install:
  - method: docs
    note: >-
      "Before upgrading Istio, download the corresponding new version of
      istioctl" — https://ambientmesh.io/docs/operations/upgrade/. ambientmesh.io
      does not host the binary or publish an install one-liner for it.

companion_tools:
  - kubectl
  - helm
  - curl https://get.ambientmesh.io | sh -   # quickstart installer, see packages/

commands:
  - group: waypoints
    command: istioctl waypoint delete --all
    purpose: Remove a single waypoint, all waypoints in a namespace, or all in the cluster.
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/operations/uninstall/
  - group: waypoints
    command: istioctl waypoint apply
    purpose: Deploy a waypoint proxy (the Gateway API resource can also be applied directly).
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/waypoints/configuration/
  - group: upgrade
    command: istioctl x precheck
    purpose: >-
      Validate that an install or upgrade is compatible with the target cluster
      before writing anything. The documented pre-flight / dry-run step.
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/operations/upgrade/
  - group: install
    command: istioctl install
    purpose: >-
      Alternative to Helm. "Other methods such as istioctl install use the same
      Helm charts under the hood."
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/setup/install/
  - group: enrollment
    command: kubectl label namespace <ns> istio.io/dataplane-mode=ambient
    purpose: Enroll a namespace in the ambient data plane.
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/setup/add-workloads/
  - group: enrollment
    command: kubectl label namespace <ns> istio.io/dataplane-mode-
    purpose: Remove a namespace from the ambient data plane (the reversal).
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/operations/uninstall/
  - group: enrollment
    command: kubectl label namespace <ns> istio.io/use-waypoint-
    purpose: Detach a waypoint from a namespace.
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/operations/uninstall/
  - group: install
    command: helm install istio-base|istiod|istio-cni|ztunnel istio/<chart> -n istio-system
    purpose: The recommended production install path, in that order.
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/setup/install/
  - group: upgrade
    command: helm upgrade istio-base|istiod|istio-cni|ztunnel istio/<chart> -n istio-system
    purpose: Upgrade control plane then data plane, in that order.
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/operations/upgrade/
  - group: uninstall
    command: helm delete ztunnel|istio-cni|istiod|istio-base -n istio-system
    purpose: Remove the installation in reverse order. Does NOT remove the Istio CRDs.
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/operations/uninstall/
  - group: uninstall
    command: kubectl get crd -oname | grep 'istio.io' | xargs kubectl delete
    purpose: Remove the Istio CRDs, which helm delete leaves behind.
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/operations/uninstall/
  - group: verify
    command: helm ls -n istio-system
    purpose: Confirm which charts and versions are deployed.
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/setup/install/
  - group: verify
    command: kubectl get pods -n istio-system
    purpose: Confirm istiod, istio-cni-node and ztunnel are running.
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/setup/install/

flows:
  - name: Install ambient mesh for production
    steps:
      - kubectl apply -f <gateway-api v1.5.0 standard-install.yaml>
      - helm repo add istio https://istio-release.storage.googleapis.com/charts && helm repo update istio
      - helm install istio-base istio/base -n istio-system --create-namespace --wait
      - helm install istiod istio/istiod --namespace istio-system --set profile=ambient --wait
      - helm install istio-cni istio/cni -n istio-system --set profile=ambient --wait
      - helm install ztunnel istio/ztunnel -n istio-system --wait
      - helm ls -n istio-system
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/setup/install/
  - name: Upgrade with minimal disruption
    steps:
      - istioctl x precheck
      - helm repo update istio
      - helm upgrade istio-base istio/base -n istio-system
      - helm upgrade istiod istio/istiod -n istio-system --wait
      - helm upgrade istio-cni istio/cni -n istio-system
      - helm upgrade ztunnel istio/ztunnel -n istio-system --wait
    docs: https://ambientmesh.io/docs/operations/upgrade/