Create and Host Your Own Helm Charts with GitHub Pages!

Helm is a powerful package manager for Kubernetes, making it easy to deploy applications. In this guide, we'll show you how to create a custom Helm repository, host it on GitHub Pages, and make it publicly accessible.

What You Need

Helm
Git
A GitHub account
A Kubernetes cluster (MicroK8s, Minikube, or cloud-based)

Step 1: Create a Helm Chart

Run the following command to create a Helm chart:

helm create my-first-project

This creates a my-first-project directory with a sample Helm chart. You can modify the default configurations, add new templates, or update the values.yaml file to fit your application's needs.

Step 2: Package the Helm Chart

To prepare your chart for publishing, package it:

helm package my-first-project

This creates a .tgz file, e.g., my-first-project-0.1.0.tgz.

Step 3: Create a Helm Repository Index

Generate an index file for your repository:

helm repo index .

This creates index.yaml, which Helm uses to find charts.

Step 4: Set Up a GitHub Repository

Go to GitHub and create a public repository (e.g., helm).

Clone it to your local machine:
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_GITHUB_USERNAME/helm.git
cd helm

Move your chart package and index file into the repository:
cp ../my-first-project-0.1.0.tgz .
cp ../index.yaml .

Commit and push the files:
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
git push origin main

Step 5: Enable GitHub Pages

Open your GitHub repository.
Click Settings > Pages.
Under Source, select main or gh-pages.
Under Branch, select the branch where your files are stored (/root or /docs).
Save the settings.
Copy your repository URL (e.g., https://YOUR_GITHUB_USERNAME.github.io/helm/).

Step 6: Add the Helm Repository

Tell Helm to use your new repository:
helm repo add my-repo https://YOUR_GITHUB_USERNAME.github.io/helm/

Check if it's added:
helm repo list

Step 7: Install the Helm Chart

Deploy your chart from your custom repository:
helm install myrelease my-repo/my-first-project

Conclusion

That's it! You've successfully set up a public Helm repository using GitHub Pages. Now, anyone can use your charts with just a URL. Happy Helm charting!