# Metrics with K3s
**URL:** https://forums.k8slens.dev/t/metrics-with-k3s/178
**Category:** Lens Support & Troubleshooting
**Tags:** k3s, k0s, lens-desktop, metrics, prometheus
**Created:** [February 27, 2023, 4:38am UTC](https://forums.k8slens.dev/t/metrics-with-k3s/178 "2023-02-27T04:38:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@jpbaril](https://forums.k8slens.dev/u/jpbaril)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2023, 4:38am UTC](https://forums.k8slens.dev/t/metrics-with-k3s/178/1 "2023-02-27T04:38:57Z")
Hi,
I’m new to Kubernetes / k3s, and so also new to Lens.
I don’t understand the different options to have metrics in Lens.
Even this GitHub issue did not clarify it: [Metrics not available on k3s · Issue #6520 · lensapp/lens · GitHub](https://github.com/lensapp/lens/issues/6520)
K3s has by default a “metrics-server” service in the “kube-system” namespace.
Can this service provide metrics to show in Lens?
N.B. I’m trying to avoid installing additional things since my homelab cluster is very thin on resources.
Thank you
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### Author:  [@nevalla](https://forums.k8slens.dev/u/nevalla)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2023, 7:59am UTC](https://forums.k8slens.dev/t/metrics-with-k3s/178/2 "2023-02-27T07:59:54Z")
Hi! Metrics-server allows to fetch metrics for the current moment but it does not provide any historical data. That’s why Lens is relying on Prometheus to display metrics for the last 1 hour. If you want to try Prometheus out you can enable built-in Prometheus on cluster settings.
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### Author:  [@hchen](https://forums.k8slens.dev/u/hchen)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2023, 8:01am UTC](https://forums.k8slens.dev/t/metrics-with-k3s/178/3 "2023-02-27T08:01:17Z")
For example, in cluster settings
You can try to enable bundled Prometheus
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### Author:  [@jpbaril](https://forums.k8slens.dev/u/jpbaril)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2023, 5:37am UTC](https://forums.k8slens.dev/t/metrics-with-k3s/178/4 "2023-02-28T05:37:40Z")
ok, I understand. Thank you for the response.
Still, to show by default as a fallback at least what the metrics-server can provides could be better than nothing.
As can be seen in the right part of the image below, some “current moment” metrics are shown in Lens.
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### Author:  [@jas-atwal](https://forums.k8slens.dev/u/jas-atwal)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2023, 7:27pm UTC](https://forums.k8slens.dev/t/metrics-with-k3s/178/5 "2023-02-28T19:27:53Z")
As an alternative to K3s you may want to look at open source k0s. k0s is an all-inclusive Kubernetes distribution, configured with all of the features needed to build a Kubernetes cluster simply by copying and running an executable file on each target host.
k0s allows extensions so that you can extend the configuration of the cluster to include Prometheus, as per the docs [here](https://docs.k0sproject.io/v1.21.11+k0s.0/extensions/?h=prometheus)
Finally, please note that k0s is also embedded within Lens **Pro** version, and is known as Lens Desktop Kube.
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### Author:  [@bishnubee](https://forums.k8slens.dev/u/bishnubee)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 6:10pm UTC](https://forums.k8slens.dev/t/metrics-with-k3s/178/6 "2023-03-02T18:10:19Z")
I did not know about K0s. Sounds interesting.
What are the advantages over K3s?
How does it compare regarding memory usage?
Thank you