// Module included in the following assemblies:
//
// * security/external_secrets_operator/external-secrets-operator-api.adoc

:_mod-docs-content-type: REFERENCE
[id="eso-external-secrets_{context}"]
= externalSecretsConfig

[role="_abstract"]
The `externalSecretsConfig` object defines the configuration and information for the managed `external-secrets` operand deployment. Set the name to `cluster` as `externalSecretsConfig` object allows only one instance per cluster.

Creating an `externalSecretsConfig` object triggers the deployment of the `external-secrets` operand and maintains the desired state.

[cols="1,1,1",options="header"]
|===
| Field
| Type
| Description

| `apiVersion`
| _string_
| The `apiVersion` specifies the version of the schema in use, which is `operator.openshift.io/v1alpha1`.

| `kind`
| _string_
| `kind` specifies the type of the object, which is `externalSecrets` for this object.

| `metadata`
| link:https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/generated/kubernetes-api/v1.31/#objectmeta-v1-meta[_ObjectMeta_]
| Refer to Kubernetes API documentation for details about the `metadata` fields.

| `spec`
| _object_
| `spec` contains the specifications of the desired behavior of the `externalSecrets` object.

| `status`
| _object_
| `status` displays the most recently observed status of the `externalSecrets` object.

|===
