KubernetesHow-ToBeginner · 4 min read

How to Use Helm with CI/CD for Kubernetes Deployments

Use helm commands within your CI/CD pipeline scripts to package, lint, and deploy Kubernetes applications automatically. Integrate Helm with tools like GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Jenkins by running helm install or helm upgrade commands after building and testing your code.

📐

Syntax

The basic Helm commands used in CI/CD pipelines include:

helm lint [chart]: Checks the chart for errors.
helm package [chart]: Packages the chart into a versioned archive.
helm install [release] [chart]: Installs a new release of the chart.
helm upgrade [release] [chart]: Upgrades an existing release.
helm repo add [name] [url]: Adds a Helm chart repository.

These commands are scripted in CI/CD pipelines to automate deployment steps.

bash

helm lint ./mychart
helm package ./mychart
helm repo add stable https://charts.helm.sh/stable
helm install myapp ./mychart-0.1.0.tgz
helm upgrade myapp ./mychart-0.1.0.tgz

💻

Example

This example shows a GitHub Actions workflow that uses Helm to deploy a Kubernetes app after code push.

yaml

name: Deploy with Helm

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout code
        uses: actions/checkout@v3

      - name: Set up Kubernetes
        uses: azure/setup-kubectl@v3
        with:
          version: 'latest'

      - name: Set up Helm
        uses: azure/setup-helm@v3
        with:
          version: 'v3.11.0'

      - name: Helm lint
        run: helm lint ./charts/myapp

      - name: Helm upgrade or install
        run: |
          helm upgrade --install myapp ./charts/myapp \
          --namespace default \
          --set image.tag=${{ github.sha }}

Output

Run helm lint ./charts/myapp ==> Linting ./charts/myapp 1 chart(s) linted, 0 chart(s) failed Run helm upgrade --install myapp ./charts/myapp --namespace default --set image.tag=abc123def456 Release "myapp" has been upgraded. Happy Helming!

⚠️

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when using Helm in CI/CD include:

Not setting the Kubernetes context correctly before running Helm commands.
Using helm install without checking if the release exists, causing failures on repeated runs.
Not managing Helm chart versions or dependencies properly.
Failing to pass dynamic values like image tags, leading to stale deployments.

Always use helm upgrade --install to handle new and existing releases smoothly.

bash

## Wrong way (fails if release exists):
helm install myapp ./charts/myapp

## Right way (safe for CI/CD):
helm upgrade --install myapp ./charts/myapp --namespace default --set image.tag=latest

📊

Quick Reference

Command	Purpose	Notes
helm lint ./chart	Check chart for errors	Run before packaging or deploying
helm package ./chart	Create chart archive	Use for versioned releases
helm repo add name url	Add chart repository	Needed to fetch charts
helm install release chart	Install new release	Fails if release exists
helm upgrade --install release chart	Install or upgrade release	Recommended for CI/CD
helm uninstall release	Remove release	Clean up deployments

✅

Key Takeaways

Use helm upgrade --install to safely deploy or update releases in CI/CD pipelines.

Always set Kubernetes context and credentials before running Helm commands.

Lint and package Helm charts to catch errors early in the pipeline.

Pass dynamic values like image tags to Helm to deploy the correct app version.

Integrate Helm commands into CI/CD tools like GitHub Actions or Jenkins for automation.