Helm Commands Cheat Sheet

In the complex landscape of Kubernetes orchestration, Helm emerges as a powerful tool for managing applications and their dependencies. Understanding Helm commands is essential for efficient deployment and maintenance of applications in Kubernetes clusters. This Helm Commands Cheat Sheet serves as a handy reference for both beginners and experienced users, offering insights into the fundamental commands that make Helm a go-to choice in the Kubernetes ecosystem.

1. Installation and Configuration:
   Before diving into Helm commands, ensure that Helm is installed and configured on your system. Use the following commands to get started:

   # Install Helm
   $ curl -fsSL -o get_helm.sh https://raw.githubusercontent.com/helm/helm/master/scripts/get-helm-3
   $ chmod 700 get_helm.sh
   $ ./get_helm.sh
   

   Once Helm is installed, configure it to work with your Kubernetes cluster:

   # Initialize Helm
   $ helm init
   

2. Repository Management:
   Helm relies on repositories to store and retrieve charts. Manage Helm repositories using the following commands:

   # Add a repository
   $ helm repo add <repository-name> <repository-url>
   
   # Update the list of repositories
   $ helm repo update
   
   # Search for charts in a repository
   $ helm search repo <repository-name>
   

3. Chart Installation and Deployment:
   Deploying applications in Kubernetes is simplified with Helm charts. Use the following commands to install and deploy charts:

   # Install a chart
   $ helm install <release-name> <chart-name>
   
   # Upgrade a release
   $ helm upgrade <release-name> <chart-name>
   
   # Rollback to a previous release
   $ helm rollback <release-name> <revision-number>
   

4. Release Management:
   Helm allows you to manage releases seamlessly. Here are commands for release management:

   # List installed releases
   $ helm list
   
   # Get release history
   $ helm history <release-name>
   
   # Uninstall a release
   $ helm uninstall <release-name>
   

5. Values and Overrides:
   Customize Helm charts by providing values and overrides during installation. Use the following commands:

   # Show default values for a chart
   $ helm show values <chart-name>
   
   # Install a chart with custom values
   $ helm install -f values.yaml <release-name> <chart-name>
   

6. Additional Commands:
   Explore more Helm commands for advanced use cases:

   # Fetch the chart without installing
   $ helm fetch <chart-name>
   
   # Package a chart
   $ helm package <chart-directory>
   
   # Template a chart locally
   $ helm template <chart-directory>
   

Step by Step Instructions:
Follow these step-by-step instructions to enhance your Helm command proficiency:

1. Install Helm on your system using the provided commands.
2. Configure Helm to connect with your Kubernetes cluster.
3. Add repositories to access a variety of Helm charts.
4. Install a sample chart using the helm install command.
5. Explore release management commands to view and uninstall releases.
6. Customize your installations using values and overrides.
7. Experiment with additional commands to deepen your Helm knowledge.

More Examples:
To illustrate the versatility of Helm commands, consider the following examples:

1. Installing NGINX ingress controller:

   $ helm install nginx-ingress stable/nginx-ingress
   

2. Upgrading a release with custom values:

   $ helm upgrade -f custom-values.yaml my-release stable/chart
   

3. Uninstalling a release:

   $ helm uninstall my-release
   

By exploring these examples and adapting them to your use cases, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of Helm commands.