Description: Helm values are configurations that can be passed to a chart during installation or upgrade. These values allow for the customization of the behavior of applications deployed in a container orchestration environment, facilitating the adaptation of charts to different environments and needs. By using Helm, users can define specific parameters that modify the default configuration of charts, resulting in a more flexible and controlled deployment. Values can include configurations such as the number of replicas of a service, access credentials for databases, or resource configurations like CPU and memory. This customization capability is fundamental for the efficient management of containerized applications, as it allows developers and system administrators to adjust applications to their specific requirements without needing to modify the source code. Additionally, Helm values can be stored in YAML files, making it easy to reuse and share them among teams, thus promoting consistency in deployments. In summary, Helm values are an essential tool for managing applications in containerized environments, providing a structured and efficient way to customize and control software deployments.
History: Helm was initially created by Deis, Inc. in 2015 as a tool to facilitate application management in Kubernetes. Since its launch, Helm has significantly evolved, becoming the most popular package manager for Kubernetes. In 2018, Helm 2 was released, introducing features such as support for chart repositories and version management. In 2020, Helm 3 was introduced, removing the dependency on Tiller, which improved security and simplified its use. Over the years, Helm has been widely adopted in the Kubernetes community, becoming a de facto standard for application management in this environment.
Uses: Helm values are primarily used to customize the configuration of applications deployed in Kubernetes. They allow users to adjust specific parameters without modifying the source code of applications. This is especially useful in production environments where different configurations are required for different instances of an application. Additionally, Helm values facilitate deployment automation and version management, enabling development and operations teams to implement changes quickly and efficiently.
Examples: A practical example of using Helm values is in deploying a web application that requires different database configurations in development and production environments. By using Helm values, the team can define the database credentials and connection URL in a YAML file, allowing the same chart template to be used in both environments with specific configurations. Another example is deploying a microservices architecture where the number of replicas and resources assigned to each microservice can be adjusted using Helm values, thus optimizing the performance and scalability of the application.
