AzureFunBytes Episode 40 - Demystifying Helm with @DonovanBrown
Tags: helm, azure, kubernetes, beginners
Published: 2021-04-22 19:13:36

AzureFunBytes is a weekly opportunity to learn more about the fundamentals and foundations that make up Azure. It's a chance for me to understand more about what people across the Azure organization do and how they do it. Every week we get together at 11 AM Pacific on [Microsoft LearnTV](https://cda.ms/226) and learn more about Azure.

This week I welcome Captain America himself, [Donovan Brown](https://twitter.com/donovanbrown) to discuss how to be a super hero to your kubernetes clusters using Helm.  We'll have a discussion on what made Donovan take interest in Helm and how he got started learning to use it.  We'll also dive into Donovan's new role as Partner Program Manager in the  Office of the CTO.  

Some of our agenda: 

* We are going the cover the importance of truly learning a tool versus just using it. 
*  We will start with an empty folder and build a helm chart file by file making errors along the way.   
* Then we will show you a full chart that you will now be able to read and understand.

{% youtube 60EZ_2G8gG4 %}

[4:31 - Intro to Donovan's new role at Microsoft](https://youtu.be/60EZ_2G8gG4?t=270) 
[21:01 - Starting from zero](https://youtu.be/60EZ_2G8gG4?t=1261) 
[25:53 - A perfectly created chart](https://youtu.be/60EZ_2G8gG4?t=1553) 
[31:07 - ConfigMap](https://youtu.be/60EZ_2G8gG4?t=1867) 
[38:37 - Functions in Helm](https://youtu.be/60EZ_2G8gG4?t=2317) 
[45:00 - An AzureFunBytes exclusive function demo](https://youtu.be/60EZ_2G8gG4?t=2700) 
[55:26 - Is it required to know kubernetes and docker before getting started with Helm?](https://youtu.be/60EZ_2G8gG4?t=3326)

[What is Helm?](https://helm.sh/)  [Helm](https://helm.sh/) is an open-source packaging tool that helps you install and manage the lifecycle of Kubernetes applications. Similar to Linux package managers like *APT* and *Yum*, Helm manages Kubernetes charts, which are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources.

From the Helm Project website: *Helm helps you manage Kubernetes applications — Helm Charts help you define, install, and upgrade even the most complex Kubernetes application.*

*Charts are easy to create, version, share, and publish — so start using Helm and stop the copy-and-paste.*

*Helm is a graduated project in the [CNCF](https://cncf.io/) and is maintained by the [Helm community](https://github.com/helm/community).*

---

Learn about Azure fundamentals with me!

Live stream is available on Twitch, YouTube, and LearnTV at 2 pm EST Thursday. You can also find the recordings here as well:

[AzureFunBytes on Twitch](https://twitch.tv/azurefunbytes)
[AzureFunBytes on YouTube](https://aka.ms/jaygordononyoutube)
[Azure DevOps YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-ikyViYMM69joIAv7dlMsA)
[Follow AzureFunBytes on Twitter](https://twitter.com/azurefunbytes)

Useful Docs:

[Get $200 in free Azure Credit](https://cda.ms/219) 
[Microsoft Learn: Introduction to Azure fundamentals](https://cda.ms/243) 
[Microsoft Learn: Develop and deploy applications on Kubernetes](https://cda.ms/25B)
[Microsoft Learn: Application and package management using Helm](https://cda.ms/25z)
[Quickstart: Deploy an Azure Kubernetes Service cluster using the Azure CLI](https://cda.ms/25k) 
[Install existing applications with Helm in Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)](https://cda.ms/25m) 
[Push and pull Helm charts to an Azure container registry](https://cda.ms/25n)
[Helm.sh](https://helm.sh/) 
[Video - Demystifying Helm](https://youtu.be/2HPsPOwHOlY)
[Video - Semantic Versions](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEgevIkqp2o&feature=youtu.be)
[Video: Ten Things You Don't Know About YAML]( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlkIZG3yiCM&ab_channel=DonovanBrown)