How to fix Job TTL strategy error in Kubernetes

KubernetesINTERMEDIATEMEDIUM

This error occurs when the job cleanup strategy (TTL configuration) is invalid or misconfigured, preventing the job from being properly managed or garbage collected.

What this error means

The "Job TTL strategy error" indicates a problem with the job's time-to-live (TTL) configuration.

Typical symptoms

kubectl describe shows error
Job not cleaned up
Job cleanup controller logs errors
Job stuck indefinitely

Common causes

ttlSecondsAfterFinished negative
ttlSecondsAfterFinished non-integer
TTL controller errors

How to fix "Job TTL strategy error"

1Check TTL config

kubectl get job <name> -o yaml | grep -A5 ttl

2Verify valid value

TTL must be non-negative integer or null

3Fix TTL

kubectl patch job <name> -p '{"spec":{"ttlSecondsAfterFinished":3600}}'

4Check warnings

kubectl describe job <name>

Advanced notes

Feature stable since Kubernetes 1.23. Check node clock accuracy if cleanup timing is off.

Related errors

Official resources & further reading

📚Kubernetes Official Documentation
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Kubernetes Docs: TTL Mechanism for Finished Resources(Official Docs)
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Kubernetes Docs: Jobs(Official Docs)
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Stack Overflow: Kubernetes TTL controller(Stack Overflow)