Helm - The Kubernetes Package Manager - 1 Hr Crash Course

helm init: Install Tiller to your running Kubernetes cluster.

helm search: Search for charts

helm fetch: Download a chart to your local directory to view

helm install: Upload the chart to Kubernetes

helm list: List releases of charts

PRE-REQUISITES:
- You already have a Google Account and have access to Google Cloud Console (https://console.cloud.google.com)
- Billing account enabled that can be use in this project

Step 1: Create a Google Cloud Project OR select and existing Project

Step 2: Create a Kubernetes Cluster (select Kubernetes Engine menu item from the left side navigation -> Create Cluster -> Choose default settings)

Remember to delete the cluster after use. There is a free 300$ credit provided by Google Cloud for new users.

COMMANDS TO RUN DURING SETUP

helm init

kubectl create serviceaccount --namespace kube-system tiller

kubectl create clusterrolebinding tiller-cluster-rule --clusterrole=cluster-admin --serviceaccount=kube-system:tiller

kubectl patch deploy --namespace kube-system tiller-deploy -p '{"spec":{"template":{"spec":{"serviceAccount":"tiller"}}}}'

Demo 1: STABLE HELM CHART

helm search redis

helm fetch --untar stable/redis

tree helm inspect stable/redis (sudo apt update && sudo apt install tree -y, if you do not have tree package)

helm inspect stable/redis

helm inspect values stable/redis

helm upgrade --install — this is helpful especially when running the command in pipelines,

helm install/upgrade --debug — this allows you to see what happened in case of an install or upgrade.

helm install/upgrade --set name=sandbox — You have the possibility to overwrite values to an installation/upgrade by using the set flag.

Demo 3: CUSTOM CHARTS

• git clone https://github.com/CloudAndContainer/helmdemo.git

• Edit values.yaml and update the index values

• helm lint ./helmdemo

• helm install --name helmdemo ./helmdemo

• kubectl get svc

• kubectl get pods

• kubectl exec -it [YOUR_POD_NAME] sh

• curl [CLUSTER_IP]:80 (apt-get update && apt-get install curl -y, if curl is not installed)

Demo 3: CUSTOM CHARTS (cont’d..) – helm upgrade

• Edit values.yaml and update the index values

• helm upgrade helmDemo ./helmDemo

• helm rollback helmDemo 1

• helm package ./helmDemo

• kubectl get svc

• kubectl get pods

• kubectl exec -it [YOUR_POD_NAME] sh

• curl [CLUSTER_IP]:80 (apt-get update && apt-get install curl -y, if curl is not installed)