helm

Create a helm chart

$ helm create [chart_name]

$ helm repo add [repository_name]

$ helm repo [[ls|list]]

$ helm repo [[up|update]]

$ helm repo [[rm|remove]] [repository_name]

$ helm install [name] [repository_name]/[chart_name]

$ helm get [chart_release_name]

$ helm [[dep|dependency]] [[up|update]]

helm COMMAND [ARGUMENTS...] [OPTIONS...]

Examples:
helm install NAME CHART [OPTIONS]
helm upgrade NAME CHART [OPTIONS]
helm uninstall NAME [OPTIONS]
helm list [OPTIONS]
helm repo SUBCOMMAND
helm search SUBCOMMAND

--debug
    Enable verbose output.

--help
    Show help for a command.

--kube-context string
    Name of the kubeconfig context to use.

--namespace string
    Namespace scope for this request.

--set stringArray
    Set values on the command line (e.g., 'key=value').

--values stringArray
    Specify values in a YAML file (can specify multiple).

--version
    Print the version of Helm.

--dry-run
    Simulate an install or upgrade without making changes.

Helm is the de facto package manager for Kubernetes, simplifying the deployment and management of applications. It uses "charts," which are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. These charts allow users to define, install, and upgrade even complex Kubernetes applications efficiently. Helm streamlines the software delivery lifecycle on Kubernetes by providing versioning, dependency management, and templating capabilities. It helps manage the entire lifecycle of Kubernetes applications, from initial deployment to updates, rollbacks, and deletion, promoting reusability and best practices for application packaging.

Requires a functional Kubernetes cluster and 'kubectl' configured to connect to it.
Creating robust Helm charts can be complex, demanding a good understanding of Kubernetes resources and templating.
Managing Helm releases across diverse environments needs careful CI/CD integration to avoid configuration drift.
Always ensure charts are sourced from trusted repositories to mitigate security risks.

Helm Charts are a packaging format that bundles all necessary Kubernetes resources, templates, and configuration values needed to deploy an application. They serve as a standard, reusable unit for defining, installing, and managing applications on Kubernetes, simplifying complex deployments and promoting consistency.

Helm manages "releases," which represent deployed instances of a chart on a Kubernetes cluster. It tracks the state and history of each release, enabling seamless operations like upgrades to newer versions, rollbacks to previous stable states, and viewing the complete lifecycle history, providing robust application lifecycle management.

Helm was initially developed by Deis (now part of Microsoft) and later contributed to the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) in 2016. It achieved CNCF graduated project status in 2020, indicating its maturity and widespread adoption. Helm 2, which included an in-cluster component called Tiller, was widely used. Helm 3, released in 2019, significantly simplified its architecture by removing Tiller, enhancing security and ease of use, marking a major evolution in its design and operational model.

kubectl(1), docker(1), minikube(1)