What is Helm?
Helm is an open-source package manager for Kubernetes. It helps you define, install, and upgrade complex applications and services on your Kubernetes clusters. Helm packages these applications and services as charts, which are collections of files that describe the resources and configurations necessary to run an application or service on Kubernetes.
With Helm, you can define and maintain a catalog of charts that encapsulate all the dependencies, configurations, and parameters required to deploy and manage complex applications and services on Kubernetes. Helm provides a simple command-line interface that you can use to search for and install charts, as well as tools for creating, testing, and sharing your own charts.
What is flux?
Flux is a popular open-source tool for managing and automating deployments on Kubernetes clusters. It provides a GitOps approach to continuous delivery, meaning that it uses Git as the source of truth for your infrastructure and application deployments.
With Flux, you can define the desired state of your Kubernetes cluster in a Git repository, including the versions of container images, Kubernetes manifests, and Helm charts that should be deployed. Flux then continuously monitors this repository and applies changes to your cluster as necessary to keep it in sync with the desired state.
Flux also supports automated rollouts, canary deployments, and other advanced deployment strategies. It integrates with popular Git hosting services like GitHub and GitLab, and can be easily integrated into your existing CI/CD workflows.
In addition to managing deployments, Flux also provides features for monitoring and alerting on your Kubernetes resources, making it a powerful tool for managing and maintaining your Kubernetes clusters. Overall, Flux makes it easier to manage and automate deployments on Kubernetes by providing a simple and powerful GitOps approach to continuous delivery.
When to Helm / Flux?
Both Helm and Flux are popular tools for managing application deployments to Kubernetes clusters like AKS. The choice between them depends on your specific needs and preferences.
Helm is a package manager for Kubernetes that allows you to define, install, and upgrade complex applications using a single chart. Helm simplifies the deployment process by allowing you to create templates for Kubernetes resources and define dependencies between them. This makes it easier to deploy and manage complex applications with many dependencies.
Flux, on the other hand, is a continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes that automates the deployment of container images and Kubernetes manifests to your cluster. Flux can monitor container registries for new images, update your manifests with the latest image tags, and deploy them to your cluster. This can help you maintain a consistent and up-to-date cluster by automating the deployment process.
In general, if you have a complex application with many dependencies and configuration options, Helm might be a better fit for your needs. If you’re looking for a tool to automate the deployment of container images and Kubernetes manifests, Flux might be a better choice. Ultimately, the best tool for your use case will depend on your specific needs and preferences.