helm chart
also: Helm package
A Helm chart is a package of pre-configured Kubernetes resources that defines how to deploy an application. It bundles templates, values, and metadata to simplify installing and managing applications on Kubernetes.
A Helm chart is the basic unit of distribution in Helm, the package manager for Kubernetes. It contains YAML template files that describe Kubernetes objects like Deployments, Services, and ConfigMaps, along with a values.yaml file that provides default configuration values.
Charts are organized in a directory structure with a Chart.yaml metadata file and a templates/ directory. When you install a chart, Helm renders these templates by substituting variables from the values file, generating the final Kubernetes manifests.
For example, a WordPress chart might include templates for a Deployment (the application container), a Service (to expose it), and a PersistentVolumeClaim (for storage). You customize it by overriding values: helm install my-blog wordpress --set replicaCount=3
Charts promote reusability and consistency—instead of writing dozens of YAML files manually, you use a pre-built chart and adjust only the parameters you need.