helm-chart-scaffolding

Run helm create to generate the standard structure, then define metadata in Chart.yaml, defaults in values.yaml, and Kubernetes manifests in templates/ using Go templating. Validate with helm lint and helm template before packaging with helm package.

Declare dependencies in Chart.yaml with name, version, repository, and a condition field, then run helm dependency update to fetch them. Override subchart configuration through the parent chart's values.yaml under the dependency's key.

Keep shared defaults in values.yaml and create environment-specific files like values-prod.yaml overriding replicas, resources, and ingress. Install with helm install my-app ./my-app -f values-prod.yaml to merge the overrides.

Rendering failures usually come from undefined values, incorrect indentation after template directives, or missing dependencies. Debug with helm template my-app ./my-app --debug and helm lint to surface the exact error location.

Hooks are resources annotated with helm.sh/hook that run at lifecycle points like pre-install or post-upgrade, commonly for database migrations or setup jobs. Use hook-weight to control ordering and hook-delete-policy to clean up completed hook resources.