must specify limits ☸️ Kubernetes

pods is forbidden: failed quota: must specify limits.cpu,limits.memory,requests.cpu,requests.memory

A ResourceQuota on the namespace covers CPU/memory, so every pod must declare those requests/limits — and this one doesn’t.

Seen on: Kubernetes

Meaning

When a quota tracks compute resources, pods without explicit values are rejected. Add resources to every container (including init and sidecar containers), or have the admin add a LimitRange with defaults.

Common causes

  • Container without resources.requests/limits
  • Init or injected sidecar container missing them
  • No LimitRange providing defaults

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Add requests and limits to all containers
  2. Create a LimitRange with default values
  3. Check injected sidecars (Istio, Vault)

Detailed fix by platform

YAML

  1. bash
    resources:
  requests: { cpu: 100m, memory: 128Mi }
  limits:   { cpu: 500m, memory: 256Mi }

Kubernetes

  1. bash
    kubectl create -n app -f - <<'EOF'
apiVersion: v1
kind: LimitRange
metadata: { name: defaults }
spec:
  limits:
  - type: Container
    default: { cpu: 500m, memory: 256Mi }
    defaultRequest: { cpu: 100m, memory: 128Mi }
EOF

How to diagnose

  1. Containers — Which container lacks resources?
  2. LimitRange — kubectl get limitrange -n app

🔧 Still not fixed?

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