Helm – Kubernetes Package Manager

Module 1: Introduction to Helm and Kubernetes Packaging

• Kubernetes deployment complexity and the need for package management
• Helm overview: charts, repositories, and releases
• Helm 3 architecture: changes from Helm 2 and Tiller removal
• Installing Helm and configuring chart repositories

Module 2: Using Helm Charts

• Helm CLI commands: install, upgrade, rollback, uninstall, and status
• Helm repositories: Artifact Hub, Bitnami, and custom repos
• Inspecting charts: helm show chart, values, and readme
• Overriding values: --set, --values file, and value precedence

Module 3: Helm Chart Structure

• Chart anatomy: Chart.yaml, values.yaml, templates/, and helpers
• Template syntax: Go templating, actions, and built-in objects
• Values: default values and overriding with values files
• Named templates: defining and calling helpers with define and include

Module 4: Writing Helm Templates

• Templating Kubernetes manifests: Deployment, Service, and Ingress
• Control structures: if/else, with, range, and whitespace control
• Built-in functions: quote, toYaml, default, required, and lookup
• Template debugging: helm template, lint, and dry-run

Module 5: Helm Hooks and Tests

• Helm lifecycle hooks: pre-install, post-install, pre-upgrade, and pre-delete
• Job-based hooks for database migrations and pre-flight checks
• Helm test: writing test pods to validate chart installations
• Hook weight and delete policy configuration

Module 6: Chart Dependencies

• Defining chart dependencies in Chart.yaml
• Updating and managing dependencies with helm dependency update
• Conditional and tagged dependencies for optional components
• Umbrella charts for multi-component application deployment

Module 7: Helm in CI/CD and Advanced Usage

• Integrating Helm with GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Actions, and ArgoCD
• Chart versioning and releasing with Chart Releaser (cr)
• Helm secrets plugin for encrypted values management
• Helm plugins: diff, secrets, and unittest plugins

Module 8: Capstone Project and Assessment

• Writing a complete Helm chart for a multi-component application
• Chart dependency management and umbrella chart exercise
• Helm CI/CD integration and chart release pipeline project
• Final assessment and course certification

Experience in the Industry Gain expertise from Kubernetes engineers who have written, maintained, and deployed Helm charts for complex applications across development, staging, and production Kubernetes clusters.

Backgrounds at the Top Our Helm trainers have worked at cloud-native engineering teams and platform organisations where Helm is the standard tool for Kubernetes application packaging and deployment management.

Clear & Effective Teaching Helm chart structure, Go templating, values management, hooks, chart dependencies, CI/CD integration, and advanced Helm patterns are explained with practical Kubernetes application deployment examples.

Hands-On Learning Focus Students write complete Helm charts, implement hooks and tests, manage dependencies, integrate with CI/CD pipelines, and release charts through structured hands-on lab exercises.

Up-to-Date Knowledge Trainers keep content current with the latest Helm releases, OCI registry support for Helm charts, Helm security improvements, and evolving Kubernetes application packaging best practices.