Skaffold "unknown apiVersion" parsing skaffold config in CI

Skaffold parses skaffold.yaml against a fixed set of known schema versions. If the file declares an apiVersion the installed binary does not recognize, it stops before doing any build or deploy. The CI Skaffold version and the file schema are out of step.

What this error means

A build or deploy step fails immediately with "parsing skaffold config: unknown apiVersion" and the version string from the top of skaffold.yaml.

skaffold

parsing skaffold config: unknown apiVersion "skaffold/v4beta11". Please check
if the config is valid and the apiVersion is supported by this version of skaffold

Common causes

The file schema is newer than the CI binary

skaffold.yaml declares apiVersion: skaffold/v4beta11 but the runner has an older Skaffold that only knows up to an earlier schema, so it cannot parse it.

The CI binary is newer than the pinned schema

A very old apiVersion may be dropped in a newer Skaffold; the binary no longer accepts it without an upgrade of the file.

How to fix it

Pin the Skaffold version in CI to match the schema

Read the apiVersion at the top of skaffold.yaml.
Install a Skaffold release that supports that schema on the runner.
Run skaffold version in the job to confirm the installed binary.

.github/workflows/ci.yml

- name: Install Skaffold
  run: |
    curl -Lo skaffold https://storage.googleapis.com/skaffold/releases/v2.13.2/skaffold-linux-amd64
    sudo install skaffold /usr/local/bin/
    skaffold version

Upgrade the config schema with skaffold fix

Have Skaffold rewrite skaffold.yaml to the newest schema the binary supports, then commit the result.

Terminal

skaffold fix --overwrite

How to prevent it

Pin an exact Skaffold version in CI instead of "latest".
Keep skaffold.yaml apiVersion aligned with the pinned binary.
Run skaffold fix when you upgrade Skaffold and commit the change.