How to Install and Use Helm: The Kubernetes Package Manager

Helm is Kubernetes' package manager — letting you install complex applications (with all their Deployments, Services, ConfigMaps, and more) as a single, versioned, configurable package called a "chart," rather than writing every YAML file by hand.

Why Use Helm

Install complex applications (databases, monitoring stacks, ingress controllers) with a single command
Easily override configuration values without editing raw YAML
Upgrade or roll back an entire application's Kubernetes resources as one unit

Step 1 — Install Helm

curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/helm/helm/main/scripts/get-helm-3 | bash

Step 2 — Verify Installation

helm version

Step 3 — Add a Chart Repository

helm repo add bitnami https://charts.bitnami.com/bitnami
helm repo update

Bitnami maintains a large, well-tested collection of charts for common applications (databases, monitoring tools, and more).

Step 4 — Search for a Chart

helm search repo bitnami/postgresql

Step 5 — Install a Chart

helm install my-postgres bitnami/postgresql

my-postgres is the "release name" you assign to this specific installation.

Step 6 — Customize Installation Values

helm install my-postgres bitnami/postgresql \
  --set auth.postgresPassword=CHANGE_ME_STRONG_PASSWORD \
  --set primary.persistence.size=10Gi

Or use a values file for more complex configuration:

helm install my-postgres bitnami/postgresql -f custom-values.yaml

Step 7 — List Installed Releases

helm list

Step 8 — Upgrade a Release

helm upgrade my-postgres bitnami/postgresql --set primary.persistence.size=20Gi

Step 9 — Roll Back a Release

helm rollback my-postgres 1

Rolls back to a specific previous revision number, useful if an upgrade introduced a problem.

Step 10 — Uninstall a Release

helm uninstall my-postgres

Note: by default this doesn't delete associated PersistentVolumeClaims, preserving data — delete those separately if you genuinely want to remove all data too.

Viewing What a Chart Will Actually Create (Before Installing)

helm template bitnami/postgresql

Renders the full Kubernetes YAML the chart would apply, without actually installing it — useful for reviewing exactly what you're about to deploy.

Creating Your Own Chart

helm create my-chart

Scaffolds a basic chart structure you can customize — useful once you're packaging your own applications for repeatable deployment.

Common Errors

"chart not found" — run helm repo update to refresh the local repository index, or verify the repo was added correctly with helm repo list.

Installation succeeds but Pods stay Pending — check if the chart's default resource requests exceed what your cluster/node has available; adjust via --set or a custom values file.

FAQ

Is Helm required to use Kubernetes?
No — it's optional, but it significantly simplifies installing and managing complex, multi-resource applications compared to writing raw YAML manually.

Continue Reading

Browse more articles in Kubernetes & Container Orchestration.

Preguntes Freqüents - FAQ

Categories

Categories