Introduction to Helm - Package Manager for Kubernetes

Introduction to Kubernetes, IaC and Helm 

Kubernetes is one of the best platforms to deploy and manage containerized applications. But deploying such containerized applications to it can be challenging. You have to write a detailed YAML file to deploy resources like pods, deployments, and services on it that's where it comes into the play.

It is a package manager for it; it's the yum and apt of it. It allows us to deploy resources to Kubernetes quickly. It deploys charts which are the packages of application. It is also an official its project in the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) under the category of incubating projects.

What is Infrastructure as code ? 

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) manages infrastructures like Networks, VMs, and load balancers in a descriptive model, using the same versioning as the DevOps team uses for source code. The same source code applies the same binary, and its model generates the same environment whenever it is applied.

It is a process of provisioning and maintaining the environment's configuration through YAML code instead of manually creating required servers and storage systems. Once the Code and its parameters are written in YAML-defined configuration files, the system admins and developers need to run scripts, automatically building the cloud infrastructure.

Such automatic IT setups enable people to create the desired infrastructure and test their software quickly. It allows system admins and developers to generate any infrastructure component of their needs, including databases, virtual machines, databases, load balancers, networks, etc.

Completely Managed Kubernetes operations, including monitoring, deployment and optimized usage of its in complex environments. Explore our Services, Managed as a Service

What is Helm?

In general terms, it is a package manager for k8s (Kubernetes). It is the K8s equivalent of yum or apt, which helps deploy the applications on k8s clusters. It charts allow developers and operators to easily package, configure, and deploy applications and services onto K8s clusters. It's a packaged application containing all the versioned and pre-configured application resources deployed as a single unit. Every programming language and OS has its package manager for the installation and maintenance of the software. It also provides the same basic features set as many package managers like Debian, yum, and apt.

In DevOps, among all the challenges, management & deployment of applications on the K8s cluster has proved to be the most complex one for the team. But, due to the runaway success of k8s, there is an evolving ecosystem of tools concentrated on addressing the complexities of app deployment over k8s. Most of these tools exist as open-source projects managed by the developer community. Helm is one such open-source project that has been successfully simplifying the lives of k8s users.

1. It packages are charts consisting of a few YAML configuration files and templates rendered into the K8s cluster as its manifest files.
2. Helm Charts helps to install, define and upgrade its application. It will be beneficial to deploy complex applications.
3. It Charts allow you to version the manifest files too. This helps to install any specific chart versions.
4. A single chart might be used to deploy something simple or complex, like an entire web application stack with databases, HTTP servers, caches, etc.

What are the benefits of it?

1. Its packages can be used using a single CLI command.  
2. It offers the ability to customize application configurations during deployment. 
3. It plays a crucial role in streamlining CI/CD pipelines.
4. It maintains a database of all the versions of your releases automatically. 
5. It enhances productivity. It lets software developers do what they are best at writing code. With it, deployment of the test environment becomes effortless. 
6. It reduces the complexity of creating various development, testing, and production environments.
7. It simplifies its learning curve. Thus, Developers do not require expertise in Kubernetes to start developing and deploying container applications.

Why is it beneficial?

It makes deployments so easy in it, all you need to add its charts on your Kubernetes cluster. All the charts are stored in its repository; you can search the required application chart on it registry and add them to your cluster with ease. For example, if you want to deploy a WordPress app on your Kubernetes, you have to create Yaml manifest files for deployment and service for both app and database, which can be quite complicated. Still, by using it you can deploy WordPress in a few minutes on your Kube cluster. Also if you want to deploy 50 microservices on it using manifest files it consumes a whole lot of time and also there is an exorbitant probability of errors. Still, in case of it, you have to remember the name of required charts, and you can deploy these as quick as Flash. 

More reasons why we need it?

These are like a "push button" for the deployment and deletion of applications. its chart gives the ability to work with microservices to those who have less experience with containers and microservices. They can quickly deploy the charts and get familiar with its environments. Imagine a microservice deployment approach with and without it. 

Without it

Teams have to depend on Kubernetes YAML manifest files to configure it deployment. These manifest files define everything needed for deploying containers. Everything that each Pod requires to be configured to how the k8s cluster performs load balancing has to be specified in those YAML files. Thus, to deploy a new k8s workload, you need to create a manifest file for that deployment. To do it manually means writing multiple manifest files – one for every k8s object you create.

With it

Rather than writing every manifest YAML for each application deployment manually, you can easily create a it for that & let it deploy the application to the k8s cluster for you. Its charts contain templates for multiple k8s resources that unite to form an application. It can be customized to deploy on different clusters or environments. Its charts can easily separate env or deployment-specific configurations into a different file. These values can be designated when the its chart is deployed over the cluster.

For example, you can utilize the same charts to deploy an application in different env like development, staging, or production. All can be handled via a single chart with customized config as needed.

It has evolved with time & with every new upgrade. It has ensured that application management on k8s must be simpler. With the latest release of it 3, the benefits have excelled the expectations of the DevOps community. It has been happily included in the must-have tools for deploying applications to k8s.

How to install it?

From homebrew on macOS:

From Chocolatey on windows:

From installer script:

From binary release

What are Helm charts?

The structure

|-- Chart.yaml
|-- charts
|-- templates
|   |-- NOTES.txt
|   |-- _helpers.tpl
|   |-- deployment.yaml
|   |-- ingress.yaml
|   `-- service.yaml
`-- values.yaml

• Chart.yaml

• README.md

• LICENSE

• templates

• requirements.yaml

• configmap.yaml

• secrets.yaml

What is its Repository?

It is a server that acts as an arsenal for its charts. We can use any HTTP server that can serve YAML files and tar files as a it. A Helm repo contains an index.yaml file that has the list of all the packages. On the other hand, at the user side or the client-side command is used to manage the repositories.

Helm Commands:

• To install tiller

helm init

• To create a chart

helm create <chart name>

• To List the repositories

helm repo list

• To search a chart

helm search <chart name>

• To install a chart

helm install <chart name> <flag>

• To inspect a chart

helm inspect <chart> <flag>

• Install application

Installing apps using it is quite easy; you can install very complex applications in just a few minutes. First of all, you have to add a repo in your system using Helm, and you can install any deployments available in that repo into your Kube cluster. For example, To install Jenkins using it we use Bitnami repository: 

• To install Bitnami repository, we'll use the command

helm repo add bitnami https://charts.bitnami.com/bitnami 

• To install Jenkins chart with a given name

helm install --name jenk bitnami/Jenkins 

• To check deployment

kubectl get deploy This command shows you all the deployments running in your system, and you'll also see Jenkins deployment there.

What are the frequently asked questions about it?

The below are the FAQ's:

What is it, and why is it used?

It is a Kubernetes deployment tool. Helms helps to automate the management of applications to its clusters. 

How does it work?

It enables developers/users/DevOps team to install applications onto the its cluster. Helm also calls itself .

What is its alternative?

Ansible, Terraform, Kustomize, Rancher, Kubernetes, andDocker are some famous alternatives to it.

Who developed it?

Deis developed it, a firm dedicated to helping the its ecosystem. Deis was later acquired by Microsoft. 

What is a Helm client?

The Command-line client for the end-users is Helm Client. The responsibilities include -Managing repositories and releases with Local chart development.

Conclusion

It is undoubtedly the future of container orchestration. It is the best way to use it effectively and efficiently, it not just only helps developers who want to install some apps on it, but it also helps DevOps engineer, they can still create YAML manifest files and use kubectl commands to do deployments. Yet, it helps them in reducing the complexity of deployment on it, by using it they can define app quickly and deploy it easily on it. There is no limit to the advantages of it. Still, it doesn't mean that it is perfect like every other thing it have limitation too, it requires too much logic to write its template, and it's tough for a beginner to work on it and also it has some security issues. Surely, it is not impeccable yet, but it's growing continuously and rapidly with the support of the large, passionate community behind it, even recently it releases the latest version of its known as Helm3, with the rich set of new features it decreases the security problems of it, with this increasing speed we can believe that the day is not far when it becomes a perfect match for Kubernetes.

What's Next? 

• Read about Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using Terraform
• Also, read Kubecost – Cost Analysis with Kubernetes Monitoring