pros-and-cons-of-using-helm.md

Pros and cons of using Helm

There are some scenarios where using Helm is beneficial — and others where Helm is not well-suited to your use case.

lets review use cases where Helm is and is not helpful and highlights a few signs that your organization would benefit from using Helm.

When to use Helm

1. Helm is helpful when your project uses Kubernetes to run complex applications with many microservices. Using Helm, you can easily automate the deployment and management of the application, reducing the amount of manual work and improving the reliability and stability of the system. Helm also provides access to an extensive repository of preconfigured packages, making it easy to add new features and functionality to the application.

2. By organizing the application’s components into modular charts that you can easily install and upgrade, Helm simplifies the process of managing application components. It can reduce the amount of manual work required to maintain the application and helps you avoid errors and inconsistencies that can arise when managing complex systems manually.

3. Helm also supports the deployment of containers across multiple environments, such as development, staging, and production, making it easy to manage the lifecycle of containers throughout the development process.

When Helm does not excel

1. Helm is not well-suited to projects where a single container needs to be deployed on a server. In this case, using Helm to manage the deployment of the container would be unnecessary and could even add complexity to the process. Since Helm is designed to manage multiple container deployments as a single unit, it would not be helpful in this scenario.

2. If you have a small number of Kubernetes applications and can manage them manually without needing a package manager, using Helm may not provide significant benefits.

3. Finally, if your organization has strict security policies that prevent using third-party tools like Helm, then it may not be possible to use Helm in your environment.

When should you adopt Helm?

1. There are several indicators that a project could benefit from using Helm. For example, suppose your project involves multiple Kubernetes applications that must be managed and deployed together. In that case, Helm can help by allowing you to package these applications into a single chart, making it easier to manage and deploy them together.

2. If your project involves frequent updates and deployments of Kubernetes applications, Helm can help by providing tools for managing the lifecycle of your applications. This includes their deployment, updates, and rollbacks. As a result, application updates can be managed and deployed more easily.

3. Finally, if your project involves multiple teams or contributors who need to collaborate on the development and deployment of Kubernetes applications, Helm can help by providing versioning and sharing capabilities for your charts. It makes it easier for teams to collaborate and maintain consistency across deployments.