How to set environment related values.yaml in Helm subcharts?

Question

I am currently deploying my applications in a Kubernetes cluster using Helm. Now I also need to be able to modify some parameter in the values.yaml file for different environments.

For simple charts with only one level this is easy by having different values-local.yaml and values-prod.yaml and add this to the helm install flag, e.g. helm install --values values-local.yaml.

But if I have a second layer of subcharts, which also need to distinguish the values between multiple environments, I cannot set a custom values.yaml.

Assuming following structure:

| chart
   | Chart.yaml
   | values-local.yaml
   | values-prod.yaml
   | charts
      | foo-app
         | Chart.yaml
         | values-local.yaml
         | values-prod.yaml
         | templates
            | deployments.yaml
            | services.yaml

This will not work since Helm is expecting a values.yaml in subcharts.

My workaround right now is to have an if-else-construct in the subchart/values.yaml and set this in as a global variable in the parent values.yaml.

*foo-app/values.yaml*
    {{ - if .Values.global.env.local }}
        foo-app:
          replicas: 1
    {{ else if .Values.global.env.dev}}
        foo-app:
          replicas: 2
    {{ end }}

---

parent/values-local.yaml
global:
  env:
   local: true

parent/values-prod.yaml
global:
  env:
   prod: true

But I hope there is a better approach around so I do not need to rely on these custom flags.

I hope you can help me out on this.

Solution

Here is how I would do it (for reference overriding values):

1. In your child charts (foochart) define the number of replicas as a variable:
   • foochart/values.yaml

...
replicas: 1
...

• foochart/templates/deployment.yaml

...
spec:
  replicas: {{ .Values.replicas }}
...

2. Then, in your main chart's values files:

   • values-local.yaml

foochart:
  replicas: 1

• values-prod.yaml

foochart:
  replicas: 2

Comments

[Tedinoz]

It's not clear whether this is an answer to the OP question, or a new question. As an answer, it lacks detail and/or links to documentation or an example. As a question, you can search for similar questions, or refer to the related and linked questions on the right-hand side of the page to find an answer. If you have a related but different question, ask a new question, and include a link to this one to help provide context. See: Ask questions, get answers, no distractions