Helm Charts: What is Starter Chart?

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When we start writing a helm chart, for a base scaffold we execute the “Helm create ${chartname}” command and then alter it according to our needs.

But if our requirement is we want to get our scaffold chart despite what is provided by helm cmd, we can use the power of helm starter chart.

Let’s start with Helm Starter Chart

1. Create a directory

mkdir -p ${HOME}/.charts/starters

2. Clone your scaffold chart under created dir

cp -r ${scaffold_chart} ${HOME}/.charts/starters

You should be able to see the folder ${scaffold_chart} under dir ${HOME}/.charts/starters. As you will be using the name “${scaffold_chart}” as a starter chart.

3. Set the env variable “HELM_DATA_PWD”

export HELM_DATA_HOME="${HOME}/.charts"

4. Create the Helm chart using the below command

helm create ${chart_name} -p ${scaffold_chart}

Now you should be seeing the chart created as per scaffold_chart.

Bonus

Have you ever thought about how are you getting the default scaffold chart? Have a look at this official Github helm chart repo.

helm/pkg/chartutil/create.go at main · helm/helm