The document discusses Helm, a package manager for Kubernetes, providing an overview of its features and significant changes in the transition from Helm 2 to Helm 3. Key updates include improved security, simplified architecture, and modifications to CLI commands and release metadata management. The document also encourages community involvement and outlines considerations for migration and support of existing charts.

1. @jldeen
Hands on Helm
Jessica Deen
Senior Cloud Advocate | Azure

2. @jldeen
1. Why Helm?
2. v3 Overview
3. Breaking Changes
4. New Features
5. Helm 2 > 3 Migration
6. Get Involved!

3. @jldeen
The package manager for Kubernetes
Helm is the best way to find, share, and use software built for Kubernetes.

4. @jldeen
Find, share, and use software built for k8s

5. @jldeen

6. @jldeen
• Must be ready for mainstream majority
• Prove stability, security, healthy
governance, and strong community
• Scored 198% on the certification test
• CNCF TOC voted by supermajority to
make Helm a top-level project
Graduation Requirements

7. @jldeen
• Based on community best practices
• Dramatic simplification
• Architectural changes(security as
priority)
v3 overview

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Demo: Helm 3 end-to-end

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• Helm is almost as old as Kubernetes
• Predates CRDs and K8s RBAC
• Simpler, more secure: focus on
production use-cases
Major Refactor

10. @jldeen
• Inheriting security controls from
kubeconfig
• Using K8s RBAC to limit access &
resources
• Replacing custom APIs for charts and
deployments with secrets
Making Helm more K8s Native

11. @jldeen
• Simpler & more flexible architecture,
security, & upgrades
• Now uses Kubernetes API directly
• Renders charts client-side; storing in
release
• Lowering the barrier of entry for
contributors
Farewell, Tiller

12. @jldeen
helm delete
helm inspect
helm fetch
helm search
--purge is now default (to override: helm
uninstall –keep-history)
CLI Changes
helm uninstall
helm show
helm pull
helm search repo
(vs helm search hub)

13. @jldeen
Warning! Breaking Changes!
(see https://v3.helm.sh/docs/faq/ for full details

14. @jldeen
Don’t worry!
• We intend to support Helm 2 charts
• You *should* be able to replace the
Helm 2 binary with the Helm 3 binary IF
you take the following considerations
into account

15. @jldeen
Namespace Changes
• Helm will no longer create a
namespace if it doesn’t already exist

16. @jldeen
Namespace Changes
• Release metadata is stored in the same
namespace as the release
• Templated resources with namespace
set will be installed into said
namespace prior to the application of
`--namespace` flag

17. @jldeen
CRD Installation
• `crd-install` ignored in Helm 3
• Useful warning message if CRDs are
present in templates directory
• Replaced with CRDs directory at chart
root

18. @jldeen
CRD Installation

19. @jldeen
Chart Dependency
Management
• Old style: requirements.yaml &
requirements.lock
• New style: Chart.yaml and Chart.lock
(breaking change if you use helm
dependency subcommands)

20. @jldeen
Release Metadata
• No longer stored in Tiller namespace
• Stored as secret in release namespace
• Double base64 encoded JSON blob
Not backwards compatible with Helm 2
release metadata
https://github.com/helm/helm-2to3

21. @jldeen
Deprecated Function(s)
• {{ .Release.Time }} deprecated in favor
for `now` function

22. @jldeen
--generate-name
• Old style: auto-generated unless
overridden
• New style: error unless auto-generation
requested

23. @jldeen
Demo: Helm 2 to 3
Migration

24. @jldeen
Get involved!
• Upgrade to Helm 3
• https://v3.helm.sh/docs/faq
• helm.sh for community calls
• Feedback on new use cases &
workflows
• Test for backwards-compat with
existing charts!

25. @jldeen
- Senior Cloud Advocate | Azure
- DevOps, Containers, Open Source
- CNCF Ambassador | K8s & Helm
Who am I?

26. @jldeen
Thank you!