Conditions, Tags, and Global Values

Sometimes you want a bundled database off in production but on for local testing. Helm lets you toggle subcharts with conditions and tags.

In Chart.yaml a dependency's condition names a boolean value path. When that value is true the subchart installs; when false it is skipped.

The path named by condition points at a value you control. Most charts use the subchart-name enabled flag by convention.

Because it is just a value, you can flip a condition from the CLI to disable a subchart for one install without editing files.

A tags entry labels a dependency so several subcharts can be toggled together. One tag can switch a whole feature on or off.

You enable or disable a tag under a top-level tags map in values.yaml. Setting it false skips every subchart that carries that tag.

If both apply, a subchart's condition wins over its tags. The explicit per-chart flag overrides the broader group toggle.

Values under the special global key are shared with the parent and all subcharts at once. They are perfect for cluster-wide settings.

Any template, parent or subchart, reads shared data through .Values.global. That is how subcharts pick up one common registry or domain.

Normal parent values stay private to the parent. Only the global block crosses the boundary into every subchart automatically.

Reach for condition to toggle one subchart, tags to toggle a group, and global to share settings. Together they keep big charts flexible.

You want one registry value visible to your chart and every subchart. Where does it go?

You learned to toggle a subchart with condition, switch groups with tags, and share settings via global. condition always beats tags. 🌐