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A quick note about Helm2 vs Helm3

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A quick note about Helm2 vs Helm3

Source: https://notes.kodekloud.com/docs/CKA-Certification-Course-Certified-Kubernetes-Administrator/Helm-Basics-2025-Updates/A-quick-note-about-Helm2-vs-Helm3/page

Summary: This article explains the differences between Helm 2 and Helm 3, focusing on improvements in usability and security for Kubernetes charts.

Key Notes

  • Helm has evolved significantly since its inception, and understanding the differences between Helm 2 and Helm 3 is crucial when working with Kubernetes charts. This article provides a brief history of Helm and highlights the key improvements introduced in Helm 3, offering insights into its enhanced usability and security.
  • A Brief History of Helm
  • Helm’s journey began in February 2016 with Helm 1.0, followed by Helm 2.0 in November 2016. The major milestone was achieved with the release of Helm 3.0 in November 2019. As Kubernetes itself advanced, Helm matured to better leverage Kubernetes functionalities, resulting in a more robust and secure package management experience.
  • Helm 2: The Role of Tiller
  • In the era of Helm 2, Kubernetes limitations such as the absence of role-based access control (RBAC) and custom resource definitions (CRDs) meant that an additional component, Tiller, was required. Tiller acted as an intermediary between the Helm CLI and the Kubernetes cluster, managing the installation and upgrade of charts. However, this approach introduced several challenges:
  • Complexity:
  • Security Risks:
  • Using Tiller in Helm 2 means that any misconfiguration could lead to elevated security risks due to its extensive privileges.
  • Helm 3: Simplified and Secure
  • Helm 3 brings notable improvements by eliminating the need for Tiller. Instead, the Helm client now communicates directly with Kubernetes, leveraging its native RBAC capabilities. This change simplifies the architecture and enhances security, as every Helm action is subject to the same RBAC permissions applied when using kubectl.
  • Key Differences Between Helm 2 and Helm 3
  • Helm 2
  • Helm 3
  • Intermediary Component
  • Requires Tiller
  • No intermediary; direct communication
  • Security Model
  • Elevated risk due to broad privileges
  • Enhanced security leveraging Kubernetes RBAC
  • Rollback Mechanism
  • Basic revision comparison
  • Three-way strategic merge patch
  • Improved Rollback and Upgrade Process in Helm 3
  • One of the significant advancements in Helm 3 is the handling of rollbacks through a three-way strategic merge patch, resembling a snapshot mechanism. Consider the example of deploying a WordPress website using a Helm chart:

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