Helm

This competency area includes an understanding of chart creation, YAML and templating, chart structure, values and configuration, chart repositories, dependency management, installation and upgrades, release management, plugins, security, testing and validation, troubleshooting and integration.

Key Competencies:

  1. Chart Creation - Ability to create Helm charts, which are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources, to define, package, and version the applications.

  2. YAML and Templating - Knowledge of YAML, as Helm charts are primarily defined in YAML. Additionally, understanding Helm's template language for generating Kubernetes manifests is crucial for customizing charts.

  3. Chart Structure - Familiarity with the structure of Helm charts, including the charts/, templates/, and values.yaml files, essential for organizing and defining chart components.

  4. Values and Configuration - Understanding how to use values files and configurations to parameterize the Helm charts.

  5. Chart Repositories - Knowledge of Helm chart repositories and how to create, publish, and maintain them is useful for sharing charts within an organization or the community.

  6. Dependency Management - Ability to manage dependencies using the requirements.yaml file and the helm dependency commands.

  7. Installation and Upgrades - Proficiency in installing, upgrading, and uninstalling Helm charts.

  8. Release Management - Understanding how Helm manages releases, including revision history and rollbacks, essential for maintaining the application state.

  9. Helm Plugins - Knowledge of Helm plugins to automate tasks or extend Helm's functionality to suit the needs.

  10. Security - Knowledge of Kubernetes RBAC, service accounts, and secrets management for secure Helm usage.

  11. Testing and Validation - Ability to test and validate the Helm charts and releases to ensure that the applications work correctly within a Kubernetes environment.

  12. Troubleshooting - Proficiency in debugging and resolving common issues that may arise during chart installation or upgrades.

  13. Integration - Understanding how Helm integrates with other Kubernetes tools and practices, such as CI/CD pipelines and GitOps workflows.