Helm Learning Roadmap
Goal: From kubectl apply to templated, versioned Kubernetes deployments
Learning Phases
Phase 1: Helm Basics (1 week)
•What Helm is and why: templates + values
•helm install/upgrade/rollback/uninstall
•Chart structure: Chart.yaml, templates/, values.yaml
•Using public charts: Artifact Hub
Phase 2: Chart Development (2 weeks)
•helm create: starter chart
•Go template syntax: {{ .Values }}, {{ if }}, {{ range }}
•Named templates: _helpers.tpl
•Built-in objects: .Release, .Chart, .Capabilities
Phase 3: Advanced Templating (2 weeks)
•Hooks: pre-install, post-upgrade, pre-delete
•Chart tests with helm test
•Dependencies: Chart.yaml dependencies, conditions, tags
•Schema validation: values.schema.json
Phase 4: Distribution (1 week)
•OCI registries for charts
•Chart Releaser for GitHub-hosted repos
•Versioning: SemVer for charts
•Private chart repositories
Phase 5: Production (1 week)
•Helmfile: manage multiple charts
•ArgoCD + Helm for GitOps
•Secret management: Helm Secrets plugin
•Diff plugin for pre-upgrade preview
Job Roles This Enables
•Platform Engineer
•DevOps Engineer
•Kubernetes Administrator
Target Certifications
•CKAD covers Helm deployment tasks
How to Use This Roadmap
1.Work through phases in order — each builds on the previous
2.Complete the labs section for each phase before moving on
3.Build a project after each phase to cement learning
4.Use the interview section to test understanding regularly
5.Track progress: revisit earlier sections as concepts compound
Prerequisites
See prerequisites.md in this section for what you should know before starting.