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Helm Academy · Lesson

Build a Production App Chart End to End

Assembling everything into one deployable chart.

Build a Production App Chart End to End is a free Helm Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 4 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Helm Academy learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

Putting It All Together

Now you assemble everything into one deployable chart. Start clean with helm create to get a conventional, production-ready skeleton. 🏗️

helm create webapp

Set the Metadata

Open Chart.yaml and set name, version, and appVersion. The chart version tracks your packaging, appVersion tracks the app inside.

version: 1.0.0
appVersion: "2.3.1"

Define Sane Defaults

In values.yaml, pin a real image and a safe replica count. Good defaults mean the chart installs cleanly with zero overrides.

image:
  repository: myorg/webapp
  tag: "2.3.1"
replicaCount: 2

Harden the Pod

Add a securityContext so containers run as non-root by default. Baking least-privilege into the chart protects every install.

securityContext:
  runAsNonRoot: true
  readOnlyRootFilesystem: true

Add Health Probes

Wire readinessProbe and livenessProbe in the deployment template. They let Kubernetes route traffic only to healthy pods. ✅

Set Resource Limits

Declare resources requests and limits in values. This keeps your app a good neighbor and makes scheduling predictable.

resources:
  requests:
    cpu: 100m
    memory: 128Mi
  limits:
    memory: 256Mi

Lint Before You Install

Run helm lint to catch structural and best-practice problems early, long before the chart ever touches a cluster.

helm lint ./webapp

Render and Review

Use helm template to print the final manifests. Reading them confirms your values flow through exactly as intended.

helm template webapp ./webapp

Install Atomically

Deploy with --atomic and --wait so a broken rollout self-rolls-back and the command only succeeds when pods are truly ready.

helm install webapp ./webapp --atomic --wait

Verify the Release

Confirm the result with helm status, then check the pods came up. Healthy status plus running pods means a clean deploy.

helm status webapp

Package for Sharing

Finally, bundle a versioned archive with helm package so teammates or your registry can install the exact chart you tested.

helm package ./webapp

Quick Check

You want a production install that rolls back on its own if anything fails and waits for readiness. Which command fits?

Recap

You built a chart end to end: metadata, safe defaults, a hardened pod, probes, then lint, template, atomic install, verify, and package. You are production-ready. 🚀

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Build a Production App Chart End to End” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Build a Production App Chart End to End” is free to read here on the web, and the Helm Academy course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Helm Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Build a Production App Chart End to End”?

Assembling everything into one deployable chart. You practise Helm Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start Helm Academy?

No prior experience is required. Helm Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 4 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Build a Production App Chart End to End” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this Helm Academy lesson?

Yes. Every Helm Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

All lessons in this course

  1. Tracing Renders with --debug and --dry-run
  2. Reading Manifests with helm get all
  3. Escaping pending-upgrade and Stuck States
  4. Build a Production App Chart End to End
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