helm-release-management

# Helm Release Management

Comprehensive guidance for day-to-day Helm release operations including installation, upgrades, uninstallation, and release tracking.

## When to Use

Use this skill automatically when:
- User requests deploying or installing Helm charts
- User mentions upgrading or updating Helm releases
- User wants to list or manage releases across namespaces
- User needs to check release history or status
- User requests uninstalling or removing releases

## Core Release Operations

### Install New Release

```bash
# Basic install
helm install <release-name> <chart> --namespace <namespace> --create-namespace

# Install with custom values
helm install myapp bitnami/nginx \
  --namespace production \
  --create-namespace \
  --values values.yaml \
  --set replicaCount=3

# Install with atomic rollback on failure
helm install myapp ./mychart \
  --namespace staging \
  --atomic \
  --timeout 5m \
  --wait

# Install from repository with specific version
helm install mydb bitnami/postgresql \
  --namespace database \
  --version 12.1.9 \
  --values db-values.yaml

# Dry-run before actual install
helm install myapp ./chart \
  --namespace prod \
  --dry-run \
  --debug
```

**Key Flags:**
- `--namespace` - Target namespace (ALWAYS specify explicitly)
- `--create-namespace` - Create namespace if it doesn't exist
- `--values` / `-f` - Specify values file(s)
- `--set` - Override individual values
- `--atomic` - Rollback automatically on failure (RECOMMENDED)
- `--wait` - Wait for resources to be ready
- `--timeout` - Maximum time to wait (default 5m)
- `--dry-run --debug` - Preview without installing

### Upgrade Existing Release

```bash
# Basic upgrade with new values
helm upgrade myapp ./mychart \
  --namespace production \
  --values values.yaml

# Upgrade with value overrides
helm upgrade myapp bitnami/nginx \
  --namespace prod \
  --reuse-values \
  --set image.tag=1.21.0

# Upgrade with new chart version
helm upgrade mydb bitnami/postgresql \
  --names