diff --git a/lib/k8s/client.rb b/lib/k8s/client.rb
index a3f8d06..458c071 100644
--- a/lib/k8s/client.rb
+++ b/lib/k8s/client.rb
@@ -41,9 +41,44 @@ def self.config(config, namespace: nil, **options)
       )
     end
 
+    # An K8s::Client instance from in-cluster config within a kube pod, using the kubernetes service envs and serviceaccount secrets
+    # @see K8s::Transport#in_cluster_config
+    #
+    # @param namespace [String] default namespace for all operations
     # @return [K8s::Client]
-    def self.in_cluster_config
-      new(Transport.in_cluster_config)
+    # @raise [K8s::Error::Config,Errno::ENOENT,Errno::EACCES]
+    def self.in_cluster_config(namespace: nil)
+      new(Transport.in_cluster_config, namespace: namespace)
+    end
+
+    # Attempts to create a K8s::Client instance automatically using environment variables, existing configuration
+    # files or in cluster configuration.
+    #
+    # Look-up order:
+    #   - KUBE_TOKEN, KUBE_CA, KUBE_SERVER environment variables
+    #   - KUBECONFIG environment variable
+    #   - $HOME/.kube/config file
+    #   - In cluster configuration
+    #
+    # Will raise when no means of configuration is available
+    #
+    # @param options [Hash] default namespace for all operations
+    # @raise [K8s::Error::Config,Errno::ENOENT,Errno::EACCES]
+    # @return [K8s::Client]
+    def self.autoconfig(namespace: nil, **options)
+      if ENV.values_at('KUBE_TOKEN', 'KUBE_CA', 'KUBE_SERVER').none? { |v| v.nil? || v.empty? }
+        configuration = K8s::Config.build(server: ENV['KUBE_SERVER'], ca: ENV['KUBE_CA'], auth_token: options[:auth_token] || ENV['KUBE_TOKEN'])
+      elsif !ENV['KUBECONFIG'].to_s.empty?
+        configuration = K8s::Config.from_kubeconfig_env(ENV['KUBECONFIG'], auth_token: options[:auth_token])
+      elsif File.exist?(File.join(Dir.home, '.kube', 'config'))
+        configuration = K8s::Config.load_file(File.join(Dir.home, '.kube', 'config'))
+      end
+
+      if configuration
+        config(configuration, namespace: namespace, **options)
+      else
+        in_cluster_config(namespace: namespace, **options)
+      end
     end
 
     attr_reader :transport
diff --git a/lib/k8s/config.rb b/lib/k8s/config.rb
index 600a1c3..a771684 100644
--- a/lib/k8s/config.rb
+++ b/lib/k8s/config.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 require 'dry-struct'
 require 'dry-types'
+require 'base64'
 require 'yaml'
 
 module K8s
@@ -90,19 +91,98 @@ class NamedContext < ConfigStruct
 
     attribute :kind, Types::Strict::String.optional.default(nil)
     attribute :apiVersion, Types::Strict::String.optional.default(nil)
-    attribute :preferences, Types::Strict::Hash.optional.default(nil)
-    attribute :clusters, Types::Strict::Array.of(NamedCluster)
-    attribute :users, Types::Strict::Array.of(NamedUser)
-    attribute :contexts, Types::Strict::Array.of(NamedContext)
-    attribute :current_context, Types::Strict::String
-    attribute :extensions, Types::Strict::Array.optional.default(nil)
+    attribute :preferences, Types::Strict::Hash.optional.default(proc { {} })
+    attribute :clusters, Types::Strict::Array.of(NamedCluster).optional.default(proc { [] })
+    attribute :users, Types::Strict::Array.of(NamedUser).optional.default(proc { [] })
+    attribute :contexts, Types::Strict::Array.of(NamedContext).optional.default(proc { [] })
+    attribute :current_context, Types::Strict::String.optional.default(nil)
+    attribute :extensions, Types::Strict::Array.optional.default(proc { [] })
 
+    # Loads a configuration from a YAML file
+    #
     # @param path [String]
     # @return [K8s::Config]
     def self.load_file(path)
       new(YAML.load_file(path))
     end
 
+    # Loads configuration files listed in KUBE_CONFIG environment variable and
+    # merged using the configuration merge rules, @see K8s::Config.merge
+    #
+    # @param kubeconfig [String] by default read from ENV['KUBECONFIG']
+    def self.from_kubeconfig_env(kubeconfig = nil)
+      kubeconfig ||= ENV.fetch('KUBECONFIG', '')
+      return if kubeconfig.empty?
+
+      paths = kubeconfig.split(/(?!\\):/)
+      return load_file(paths.first) if paths.size == 1
+
+      paths.inject(load_file(paths.shift)) do |memo, other_cfg|
+        memo.merge(load_file(other_cfg))
+      end
+    end
+
+    # Build a minimal configuration from at least a server address, server certificate authority data and an access token.
+    #
+    # @param server [String] kubernetes server address
+    # @param ca [String] server certificate authority data
+    # @param token [String] access token (optionally base64 encoded)
+    # @param cluster_name [String] cluster name
+    # @param user [String] user name
+    # @param context [String] context name
+    # @param options [Hash] (see #initialize)
+    def self.build(server:, ca:, auth_token:, cluster_name: 'kubernetes', user: 'k8s-client', context: 'k8s-client', **options)
+      begin
+        decoded_token = Base64.strict_decode64(auth_token)
+      rescue ArgumentError
+        decoded_token = nil
+      end
+
+      new(
+        {
+          clusters: [{ name: cluster_name, cluster: { server: server, certificate_authority_data: ca } }],
+          users: [{ name: user, user: { token: decoded_token || auth_token } }],
+          contexts: [{ name: context, context: { cluster: cluster_name, user: user } }],
+          current_context: context
+        }.merge(options)
+      )
+    end
+
+    # Merges configuration according to the rules specified in
+    # https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/configuration/organize-cluster-access-kubeconfig/#merging-kubeconfig-files
+    #
+    # @param other [Hash, K8s::Config]
+    # @return [K8s::Config]
+    def merge(other)
+      old_attributes = attributes
+      other_attributes = other.is_a?(Hash) ? other : other.attributes
+
+      old_attributes.merge!(other_attributes) do |key, old_value, new_value|
+        case key
+        when :clusters, :contexts, :users
+          old_value + new_value.reject do |new_mapping|
+            old_value.any? { |old_mapping| old_mapping[:name] == new_mapping[:name] }
+          end
+        else
+          case old_value
+          when Array
+            (old_value + new_value).uniq
+          when Hash
+            old_value.merge(new_value) do |_key, inner_old_value, inner_new_value|
+              inner_old_value.nil? ? inner_new_value : inner_old_value
+            end
+          when NilClass
+            new_value
+          else
+            STDERR.puts "key is #{key} old val is #{old_value.inspect} and new val is #{new_value.inspect}"
+            old_value
+          end
+        end
+      end
+
+      self.class.new(old_attributes)
+    end
+
     # TODO: raise error if not found
     # @return [K8s::Config::Context]
     def context(name = current_context)
diff --git a/lib/k8s/error.rb b/lib/k8s/error.rb
index c5d092f..6fb860d 100644
--- a/lib/k8s/error.rb
+++ b/lib/k8s/error.rb
@@ -60,5 +60,7 @@ def initialize(method, path, code, reason, status = nil)
     # Attempt to create a ResourceClient for an unknown resource type.
     # The client cannot construct the correct API URL without having the APIResource definition.
     UndefinedResource = Class.new(Error)
+
+    Configuration = Class.new(Error)
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/k8s/transport.rb b/lib/k8s/transport.rb
index 352aaab..392a968 100644
--- a/lib/k8s/transport.rb
+++ b/lib/k8s/transport.rb
@@ -92,16 +92,23 @@ def self.config(config, server: nil, **overrides)
 
     # In-cluster config within a kube pod, using the kubernetes service envs and serviceaccount secrets
     #
+    # @param options [Hash] see #new
     # @return [K8s::Transport]
-    def self.in_cluster_config
-      host = ENV['KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST']
-      port = ENV['KUBERNETES_SERVICE_PORT_HTTPS']
+    # @raise [K8s::Error::Config] when the environment variables KUBERNETES_SEVICE_HOST and KUBERNETES_SERVICE_PORT_HTTPS are not set
+    # @raise [Errno::ENOENT,Errno::EACCES] when /var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/ca.crt or /var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/token can not be read
+    def self.in_cluster_config(**options)
+      host = ENV['KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST'].to_s
+      raise(K8s::Error::Config, "in_cluster_config failed: KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST environment not set") if host.empty?
+
+      port = ENV['KUBERNETES_SERVICE_PORT_HTTPS'].to_s
+      raise(K8s::Error::Config, "in_cluster_config failed: KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST environment not set") if port.empty?
 
       new(
         "https://#{host}:#{port}",
-        ssl_verify_peer: true,
-        ssl_ca_file: '/var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/ca.crt',
-        auth_token: File.read('/var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/token')
+        ssl_verify_peer: options.key?(:ssl_verify_peer) ? options.delete(:ssl_verify_peer) : true,
+        ssl_ca_file: options.delete(:ssl_ca_file) || '/var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/ca.crt',
+        auth_token: options.delete(:auth_token) || File.read('/var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/token'),
+        **options
       )
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/k8s/config_spec.rb b/spec/k8s/config_spec.rb
index 1267699..8831948 100644
--- a/spec/k8s/config_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/k8s/config_spec.rb
@@ -32,6 +32,116 @@
     end
   end
 
+  describe '#self.from_kubeconfig_env' do
+    context 'KUBECONFIG points to a single file' do
+      it 'reads the file' do
+        expect(YAML).to receive(:load_file).with('kubeconfig_path').and_return(current_context: 'foo')
+        described_class.from_kubeconfig_env('kubeconfig_path')
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'KUBECONFIG points to two files' do
+      it 'reads all of the files' do
+        expect(YAML).to receive(:load_file).with('kubeconfig_path').and_return(current_context: 'foo')
+        expect(YAML).to receive(:load_file).with('kubeconfig2_path').and_return(current_context: 'should not overwrite 1')
+        expect(described_class.from_kubeconfig_env('kubeconfig_path:kubeconfig2_path').current_context).to eq 'foo'
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#merge' do
+    subject { base.merge(other) }
+
+    context 'clusters' do
+      context 'base config and other config define a cluster with the same name' do
+        let(:base) { described_class.new(clusters: [ { name: 'kubernetes', cluster: { server: 'http://first.example.com:8080' } } ]) }
+        let(:other) { described_class.new(clusters: [ { name: 'kubernetes', cluster: { server: 'http://second.example.com:8080' } } ]) }
+
+        it 'does not overwrite the existing one' do
+          expect(subject.cluster('kubernetes').server).to eq 'http://first.example.com:8080'
+          expect(subject.clusters.size).to eq 1
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'base config and other config define two clusters with differents names' do
+        let(:base) { described_class.new(clusters: [ { name: 'first', cluster: { server: 'http://first.example.com:8080' } } ]) }
+        let(:other) { described_class.new(clusters: [ { name: 'second', cluster: { server: 'http://second.example.com:8080' } } ]) }
+
+        it 'includes both clusters in the outcome' do
+          expect(subject.cluster('first').server).to eq 'http://first.example.com:8080'
+          expect(subject.cluster('second').server).to eq 'http://second.example.com:8080'
+          expect(subject.clusters.size).to eq 2
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'contexts' do
+      context 'base config and other config define a context with the same name' do
+        let(:base) { described_class.new(contexts: [ { name: 'kubernetes', context: { cluster: 'first', user: 'user' } } ]) }
+        let(:other) { described_class.new(contexts: [ { name: 'kubernetes', context: { cluster: 'second', user: 'user' } } ]) }
+
+        it 'does not overwrite the existing one' do
+          expect(subject.context('kubernetes').cluster).to eq 'first'
+          expect(subject.contexts.size).to eq 1
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'base config and other config define two contexts with differents names' do
+        let(:base) { described_class.new(contexts: [ { name: 'first', context: { cluster: 'first', user: 'user' } } ]) }
+        let(:other) { described_class.new(contexts: [ { name: 'second', context: { cluster: 'second', user: 'user' } } ]) }
+
+        it 'includes both contexts in the outcome' do
+          expect(subject.context('first').cluster).to eq 'first'
+          expect(subject.context('second').cluster).to eq 'second'
+          expect(subject.contexts.size).to eq 2
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'users' do
+      context 'base config and other config define a user with the same name' do
+        let(:base) { described_class.new(users: [ { name: 'first', user: { token: 'first' } } ]) }
+        let(:other) { described_class.new(users: [ { name: 'first', user: { token: 'second' } } ]) }
+
+        it 'does not overwrite the existing one' do
+          expect(subject.user('first').token).to eq 'first'
+          expect(subject.users.size).to eq 1
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'base config and other config define two users with differents names' do
+        let(:base) { described_class.new(users: [ { name: 'first', user: { token: 'first' } } ]) }
+        let(:other) { described_class.new(users: [ { name: 'second', user: { token: 'second' } } ]) }
+
+        it 'includes both users in the outcome' do
+          expect(subject.user('first').token).to eq 'first'
+          expect(subject.user('second').token).to eq 'second'
+          expect(subject.users.size).to eq 2
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'current context' do
+      context 'base config specifies a current context' do
+        let(:base) { described_class.new(current_context: 'first') }
+        let(:other) { described_class.new(current_context: 'second') }
+
+        it 'config with a current context does not overwrite it' do
+          expect(subject.current_context).to eq 'first'
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'base config has no current context' do
+        let(:base) { described_class.new }
+        let(:other) { described_class.new(current_context: 'second') }
+
+        it 'config with a current context sets it' do
+          expect(subject.current_context).to eq 'second'
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   it 'does not require optional params' do
     subject = described_class.new(
       clusters: [