Introduction

In this article, we'll walk through a practical demonstration of deploying a sample web application on Kubernetes using Helm charts. Helm charts serve as templates for Kubernetes deployments, streamlining the process of application management. We'll deploy a basic web application called "HelloWorld" using Helm charts to showcase how straightforward it is to manage Kubernetes deployments with Helm.

Prerequisites

Before getting started, ensure you have the following prerequisites set up:

Kubernetes cluster: Set up a Kubernetes cluster using Minikube or any other preferred method. Not to forget to start it also.
Helm: Install Helm on your local machine following the instructions provided in the Helm documentation.

Step 1: Creating a Helm Chart

Open your terminal and navigate to a directory where you'd like to create your Helm chart.
Run the following command to create a new Helm chart named "helloworld":
```
  helm create helloworld
```
Navigate into the "helloworld" directory:
```
  cd helloworld
```

Step 2: Customizing Chart Values

Open the values.yaml file in your preferred text editor.
Modify the values to specify details about our deployment. For example, you can set the Docker image, port, and any environment variables needed for your web application. Example customization:
```
  image:
    repository: nginx
    tag: stable
    pullPolicy: IfNotPresent
  service:
    type: LoadBalancer
    port: 80
```

Step 3: Deploying the Application

Once you've customized the values, deploy the application using the following Helm command:
```
  helm install helloworld ./helloworld
```
Helm will take care of creating the necessary Kubernetes resources based on our chart, such as pods, services, and deployments.

Verify the deployment by running the following command:
```
  kubectl get pods
```
You should see the pods for your "HelloWorld" application running.
Additionally, retrieve the external IP of the service to access the application:
```
  kubectl get services
```

Step 4: Accessing the Application

Copy the external IP of the service associated with your "HelloWorld" application.
Paste the external IP into your web browser's address bar and hit Enter.
You should see the default Nginx welcome page, indicating that your web application is successfully deployed and accessible.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You've successfully deployed a sample web application on Kubernetes using Helm charts. By following these steps, you've experienced firsthand how Helm simplifies the process of managing Kubernetes deployments, making application deployment and management more efficient and less complex. With Helm, deploying applications to Kubernetes becomes a streamlined and straightforward process.

Saurabh Adhau's Blog