// Module included in the following assemblies:
//
// assembly-deploying-the-topic-operator.adoc

[id='con-topic-operator-cluster-label-{context}']

= Identifying a Kafka cluster for topic handling

A `KafkaTopic` resource includes a label that defines the appropriate name of the Kafka cluster (derived from the name of the `Kafka` resource) to which it belongs.

[source,yaml,subs="attributes+"]
----
apiVersion: {KafkaApiVersion}
kind: KafkaTopic
metadata:
  name: my-topic
  labels:
    strimzi.io/cluster: my-cluster
----

The label is used by the Topic Operator to identify the `KafkaTopic` resource and create a new topic, and also in subsequent handling of the topic.

If the label does not match the Kafka cluster, the Topic Operator cannot identify the `KafkaTopic` and the topic is not created.
