Helm Chart Scaffolding

---
name: helm-chart-scaffolding
description: Design, organize, and manage Helm charts for templating and packaging Kubernetes applications with reusable configurations. Use when creating Helm charts, packaging Kubernetes applications, or implementing templated deployments.
---

# Helm Chart Scaffolding

Comprehensive guidance for creating, organizing, and managing Helm charts for packaging and deploying Kubernetes applications.

## Purpose

This skill provides step-by-step instructions for building production-ready Helm charts, including chart structure, templating patterns, values management, and validation strategies.

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

- Create new Helm charts from scratch
- Package Kubernetes applications for distribution
- Manage multi-environment deployments with Helm
- Implement templating for reusable Kubernetes manifests
- Set up Helm chart repositories
- Follow Helm best practices and conventions

## Detailed patterns and worked examples

Detailed pattern documentation lives in `references/details.md`. Read that file when the navigation tier above is insufficient.

## Best Practices

1. **Use semantic versioning** for chart and app versions
2. **Document all values** in values.yaml with comments
3. **Use template helpers** for repeated logic
4. **Validate charts** before packaging
5. **Pin dependency versions** explicitly
6. **Use conditions** for optional resources
7. **Follow naming conventions** (lowercase, hyphens)
8. **Include NOTES.txt** with usage instructions
9. **Add labels** consistently using helpers
10. **Test installations** in all environments

## Troubleshooting

**Template rendering errors:**

```bash
helm template my-app ./my-app --debug
```

**Dependency issues:**

```bash
helm dependency update
helm dependency list
```

**Installation failures:**

```bash
helm install my-app ./my-app --dry-run --debug
kubectl get events --sort-by='.lastTimestamp'
```


## Related Skills

- `k8s-manifest-generator` - For creating base Kubernetes manifests
- `gitops-workflow` - For automated Helm chart deployments

Run this skill on a real model without leaving the page. Every run is saved to your history for this skill.

How to use

1. 1Save the content below as SKILL.md in your agent's skills directory (e.g. .claude/skills/<name>/SKILL.md).
2. 2Or paste it directly into the conversation as context before asking the agent to do the task.
3. 3Adjust any project-specific paths or conventions mentioned in the skill to match your setup.