Introduction to Helm

Helm is a package manager for Kubernetes, which helps you define, install, and manage Kubernetes applications. It allows you to deploy applications and manage their lifecycle through a set of reusable, configurable packages called Charts.

Key Takeaway: Helm simplifies the deployment of complex applications on Kubernetes by packaging them into Charts.

Helm consists of two main components:

• Helm Client: A command-line interface (CLI) that allows users to interact with Helm.
• Helm Tiller: The server-side component that interacts with the Kubernetes API to manage Charts.

Note: Starting from Helm 3, Tiller was removed, and Helm now interacts directly with the Kubernetes API.

To install Helm, follow these steps:

1. Download the Helm binary from the Helm installation page.
2. Unzip the downloaded file and move the binary to your PATH.
3. Verify the installation by running:

helm version

To use Helm, you can perform the following operations:

1. Initialize a Helm Chart: Create a new chart using:

helm create my-chart

2. Install a Chart: Deploy your application using:

helm install my-release my-chart

3. Upgrade a Release: Update your application with:

helm upgrade my-release my-chart

4. Uninstall a Release: Remove your application with:

helm uninstall my-release

Helm also supports templating and versioning of Charts, allowing for flexible deployments.

When using Helm, consider the following best practices:

• Use version control for your Helm Charts.
• Keep your values.yaml file organized and well-documented.
• Test your Charts in a staging environment before production.
• Utilize Helm hooks for complex deployment scenarios.