What this book covers

Chapter 1, Understanding Kubernetes and Helm, provides an introduction to Kubernetes and Helm. You will be introduced to the challenges that users face when deploying applications to Kubernetes and how Helm can help simplify deployments and increase productivity.

Chapter 2, Preparing a Kubernetes and Helm Environment, covers the tools required to deploy applications with Helm on a local Kubernetes cluster. In addition, you will also learn about basic Helm configurations that occur post-installation.

Chapter 3, Installing Your First Helm Chart, explains how to deploy an application to Kubernetes by installing a Helm chart and covers the different life cycle phases of an application deployed with Helm.

Chapter 4, Understanding Helm Charts, dives deep into the building blocks of a Helm chart and prepares you with the knowledge required to build your own Helm chart.

Chapter 5, Building Your First Helm Chart, provides an end-to-end walkthrough of building a Helm chart. The chapter begins with the fundamental concepts of building a Helm chart that leverages basic Helm constructs and progresses to modifying the baseline configurations to incorporate more advanced Helm constructs. Finally, you will learn how to deploy a chart to a basic chart repository

Chapter 6, Testing Helm Charts, discusses different methodologies around linting and testing Helm charts.

Chapter 7, Automating Helm Processes Using CI/CD and GitOps, explores an advanced use case in terms of leveraging CI/CD and GitOps models to automate Helm tasks. Namely, developing a process around testing, packaging, and releasing Helm charts. In addition, the management of Helm chart installations across multiple different environments is also introduced.

Chapter 8, Using Helm with the Operator Framework, discusses the fundamental concepts of operators on Kubernetes with a view to building a Helm operator out of an existing Helm chart using the operator-sdk tool provided by the operator framework.

Chapter 9, Helm Security Considerations, dives into some of the security considerations and precautions around using Helm, from the moment the tool is installed to the second it is used to install a Helm chart on a Kubernetes cluster.