Helm
Definition
Helm is a powerful package manager for Kubernetes that simplifies deploying, managing, and versioning applications in cloud-native environments.
Use Cases
- Bitnami: Distributing production-ready Kubernetes applications for databases, monitoring tools, and developer platforms — Bitnami publishes and maintains Helm charts that package Kubernetes manifests, configuration defaults, and deployment logic for applications such as PostgreSQL, Redis, and WordPress. (Teams can deploy common applications faster, with more consistent configuration and fewer manual Kubernetes YAML changes.)
- JFrog: Managing and distributing Helm charts as part of enterprise software delivery — JFrog Artifactory supports Helm chart repositories so platform and DevOps teams can store, version, secure, and promote Helm packages through development, test, and production environments. (Organizations improve release consistency, traceability, and control over how Kubernetes applications are packaged and deployed.)
- GitLab: Simplifying installation of a complex cloud-native application on Kubernetes — GitLab provides an official Helm chart that installs multiple components such as web services, background jobs, ingress, and supporting services into a Kubernetes cluster. (Customers can deploy GitLab more quickly with a standardized installation method instead of manually creating many separate Kubernetes resources.)
Frequently Asked Questions
- What's the difference between Helm and Kubernetes manifests?
- Kubernetes manifests are raw YAML files that define resources like Deployments, Services, and ConfigMaps. Helm sits on top of those manifests and packages them into reusable charts. It adds templating, versioning, configuration values, and easier install, upgrade, and rollback workflows. If plain manifests are like individual recipe cards, Helm is like a cookbook with adjustable ingredients and a way to track versions.
- When should I use Helm?
- Use Helm when you need to deploy applications made of many Kubernetes resources, reuse the same deployment pattern across environments, or make configuration changes without editing many YAML files by hand. It is especially useful for platform teams, shared services, internal developer platforms, and repeatable application deployments. For very small or highly custom workloads, plain manifests or another deployment tool may be enough.
- How much does Helm cost?
- Helm itself is free and open source. Your costs come from the Kubernetes cluster it runs against, the compute, storage, and networking used by the deployed application, and any supporting tools such as private chart repositories, CI/CD systems, security scanners, or managed Kubernetes services like EKS, AKS, GKE, or OKE.
Category: containers
Difficulty: advanced
Related Terms
See Also