---
title: Workload Endpoint Resource (workloadEndpoint)
canonical_url: '/reference/calicoctl/resources/workloadendpoint'
---

A Workload Endpoint resource (workloadEndpoint) represents an interface
connecting a Calico networked container or VM to its host.

Each endpoint may specify a set of labels and list of profiles that Calico will use
to apply policy to the interface.

For `calicoctl` commands that specify a resource type on the CLI, the following
aliases are supported (all case insensitive): `workloadendpoint`, `workloadendpoints`, `wep`, `weps`.

> **Note**: While `calicoctl` allows the user to fully manage Workload Endpoint resources,
> the lifecycle of these resources is generally handled by an orchestrator-specific
> plugin such as the Calico CNI plugin, the Calico Docker network plugin,
> or the Calico OpenStack Neutron Driver. In general, we recommend that you only
> use `calicoctl` to view this resource type.
{: .alert .alert-info}


### Sample YAML

```yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: workloadEndpoint
metadata:
  name: eth0
  workload: default.frontend-5gs43
  orchestrator: k8s
  node: rack1-host1
  labels:
    app: frontend
    calico/k8s_ns: default
spec:
  interfaceName: cali0ef24ba
  mac: ca:fe:1d:52:bb:e9
  ipNetworks:
  - 192.168.0.0/32
  profiles:
  - profile1
```

### Definitions

#### Metadata

| Field       | Description                 | Accepted Values   | Schema | Default    |
|-------------|-----------------------------|-------------------|--------|------------|
| name           | The name of this endpoint resource.                     |  | string |
| workload       | The name of the workload to which this endpoint belongs. |  | string |
| orchestrator   | The orchestrator that created this endpoint.  |  | string |
| node           | The node where this endpoint resides.   |  | string |
| labels         | A set of labels to apply to this endpoint.              |  | map |

#### Spec

| Field       | Description                 | Accepted Values   | Schema | Default    |
|-------------|-----------------------------|-------------------|--------|------------|
| ipNetworks    | The CIDRs assigned to the interface. |  | List of strings |
| profiles      | List of profiles assigned to this endpoint.             | | List of strings |
| interfaceName | The name of the host-side interface attached to the workload. | | string |
| mac           | The source MAC address of traffic generated by the workload. | | IEEE 802 MAC-48, EUI-48, or EUI-64 |


### Supported operations

| Datastore type        | Create/Delete | Update | Get/List | Notes
|-----------------------|---------------|--------|----------|------
| etcdv2                | Yes           | Yes    | Yes      |
| Kubernetes API server | No            | Yes    | Yes      | WorkloadEndpoints are directly tied to a Kuberenetes Pod.
