> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://notes.kodekloud.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Demo Helm Controller with Helm Repository as Source > Demonstrates using Flux HelmRepository and HelmRelease to deploy a packaged Helm chart from a Helm repository, including values, artifact fetching, and verification In the previous lesson we covered Helm charts and how to deploy them in a Kubernetes cluster using Flux's HelmRelease controller. In this lesson we'll deploy a packaged Helm chart (.tgz) that is published in a Helm repository (hosted via GitHub Pages / Artifact Hub). We'll use Flux's source-controller Helm API to register the Helm repository and a HelmRelease to install the chart into the cluster. This demo uses a packaged Helm chart (block-buster-helm-app) published as a GitHub Release and indexed on Artifact Hub. The release contains the Helm artifact `block-buster-helm-app-7.6.0.tgz` and a sample `values.yaml`. ![A dark‑theme GitHub releases page for the repository "sidd-harth/block-buster-helm-app" showing the 7.6.0 release. The page lists assets including a block-buster-helm-app-7.6.0.tgz and source code archives.](https://mintcdn.com/kodekloud-c4ac6d9a/AyhVWHpoMIYCWiei/images/GitOps-with-FluxCD/Helm-Controller-and-OCI-Registry/Demo-Helm-Controller-with-Helm-Repository-as-Source/github-release-block-buster-helm-760.jpg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=AyhVWHpoMIYCWiei\&q=85\&s=440c00e2b78e4615028e9a4c8050f01b) Artifact Hub lists the package entry (this version does not include a README in Artifact Hub): ![A dark-themed ArtifactHUB package page screenshot showing the message "This package version does not provide a README file" and a bar chart of views over the last 30 days. The right sidebar shows chart version and a security report with vulnerability counts, and related packages are listed below.](https://mintcdn.com/kodekloud-c4ac6d9a/AyhVWHpoMIYCWiei/images/GitOps-with-FluxCD/Helm-Controller-and-OCI-Registry/Demo-Helm-Controller-with-Helm-Repository-as-Source/artifacthub-package-no-readme-views-vulns.jpg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=AyhVWHpoMIYCWiei\&q=85\&s=7ea50e58faed612ababdc6b01b9cd2f2) You can install the chart locally with Helm for quick testing: ```bash theme={null} helm repo add block-buster-app https://sidd-harth.github.io/block-buster-helm-app/ helm install my-block-buster-helm-app block-buster-app/block-buster-helm-app --version 7.6.0 ``` In this lesson we will instead register the Helm repository with Flux, create a HelmRelease that references that HelmRepository, and let Flux reconcile and install the chart. *** ## Overview of the steps 1. Create a `HelmRepository` source in Flux. 2. Prepare a `values.yaml` (optional customization). 3. Create a `HelmRelease` that references the `HelmRepository`. 4. Inspect how Flux source-controller stores index and chart artifacts. 5. Verify the HelmRelease and the deployed resources. *** ## 1) Create a HelmRepository source in Flux Register the Helm repository URL (the GitHub Pages URL shown on Artifact Hub) using a `HelmRepository` resource. You can either write the manifest directly or use the `flux` CLI to create/export it. Example `HelmRepository` manifest: ```yaml theme={null} --- apiVersion: source.toolkit.fluxcd.io/v1beta2 kind: HelmRepository metadata: name: 6-demo-source-helm-bb-app namespace: flux-system spec: interval: 1m0s url: https://sidd-harth.github.io/block-buster-helm-app ``` Create/export with the flux CLI: ```bash theme={null} cd block-buster/flux-clusters/dev-cluster/ flux create source helm 6-demo-source-helm-bb-app \ --url https://sidd-harth.github.io/block-buster-helm-app \ --interval 1m0s \ --timeout 10s \ --export > 6-demo-source-helm-bb-app.yml ``` This registers the Helm repository as a Flux source. The source-controller will periodically fetch the repository `index.yaml` and store a local artifact. *** ## 2) Prepare a values file for the release Create a values file (for example `6-demo-values.yml`) to override chart defaults. This demo sets two replicas, uses `NodePort` service on port `30006`, and injects labels and namespace configuration. Example `6-demo-values.yml`: ```yaml theme={null} replicaCount: 2 service: type: NodePort nodePort: 30006 namespace: name: 6-demo labels: app: name: block-buster version: 7.6.0 env: dev ``` Remember to save the values file before running the `flux create helmrelease` command that references it — otherwise the CLI export won't include the values. *** ## 3) Create a HelmRelease that uses the HelmRepository source Declare which chart and version to install, the target namespace, and the values file with a `HelmRelease`. You can create/export it with the `flux` CLI: ```bash theme={null} flux create helmrelease 6-demo-helm-release-bb-app \ --chart block-buster-helm-app \ --interval 10s \ --target-namespace 6-demo \ --source HelmRepository/6-demo-source-helm-bb-app \ --values ../../../6-demo-values.yml \ --export > 6-demo-helm-release-bb-app.yml ``` Example exported `HelmRelease` manifest: ```yaml theme={null} --- apiVersion: helm.toolkit.fluxcd.io/v2beta1 kind: HelmRelease metadata: name: 6-demo-helm-release-bb-app namespace: flux-system spec: chart: spec: chart: block-buster-helm-app reconcileStrategy: ChartVersion sourceRef: kind: HelmRepository name: 6-demo-source-helm-bb-app interval: 10s targetNamespace: 6-demo values: labels: app: env: dev name: block-buster version: 7.6.0 namespace: name: 6-demo replicaCount: 2 service: nodePort: 30006 type: NodePort ``` Apply both the `HelmRepository` and `HelmRelease` manifests to your cluster (commit to the Git repo Flux watches or apply directly with `kubectl`). *** ## 4) How Flux source-controller fetches Helm artifacts (explanation) * The `HelmRepository` resource tells source-controller to fetch the repository `index.yaml` from the Helm repo URL. The `index.yaml` maps chart names and versions to artifact URLs (for example, a GitHub Releases tarball URL). * The `HelmRepository` artifact stored by source-controller contains index metadata and the URLs, but not the expanded chart contents. * When a `HelmRelease` references a chart from that `HelmRepository`, the Helm controller creates a `HelmChart` reference and source-controller fetches the chart tarball (`.tgz`) and stores it as a HelmChart artifact. That tarball contains `Chart.yaml`, `values.yaml`, `templates/`, README, etc. — the actual chart contents that Helm will render. Inspecting what source-controller stores: 1. Check the registered Flux Helm sources and readiness: ```bash theme={null} flux get sources helm # sample output: # NAME REVISION SUSPENDED READY MESSAGE # 6-demo-source-helm-bb-app sha256:09c7427d False True stored artifact: revision 'sha256:09c7427d' ``` 2. Exec into the source-controller pod to inspect on-disk artifacts: ```bash theme={null} kubectl -n flux-system exec -it deployment/source-controller -- sh # inside the container cd /data/helmrepository/flux-system/6-demo-source-helm-bb-app cat index.yaml ``` Sample trimmed `index.yaml` entry (shows the tarball URL): ```yaml theme={null} apiVersion: v1 entries: block-buster-helm-app: - apiVersion: v2 created: "2023-02-05T00:08:28.841396167+05:30" description: A Helm chart for Block Buster App digest: 2834bc26665ebfe199facd19fb0211565b003c8f2f0b13d77a9000c68abbe4f7 name: block-buster-helm-app urls: - https://github.com/sidd-harth/block-buster-helm-app/releases/download/7.6.0/block-buster-helm-app-7.6.0.tgz version: 7.6.0 generated: "2023-02-05T00:08:28.840851262+05:30" ``` 3. When the chart is fetched for the `HelmRelease`, the helmchart directory contains the downloaded artifact. You can list and inspect the tarball: ```sh theme={null} cd /data/helmchart/flux-system/flux-system-6-demo-helm-release-bb-app ls -ltr # latest.tar.gz -> .../block-buster-helm-app-7.6.0.tgz tar -tf latest.tar.gz ``` Sample tar listing: ```text theme={null} block-buster-helm-app/Chart.yaml block-buster-helm-app/values.yaml block-buster-helm-app/templates/NOTES.txt block-buster-helm-app/templates/_helpers.tpl block-buster-helm-app/templates/deployment.yaml block-buster-helm-app/templates/namespace.yaml block-buster-helm-app/templates/service.yaml block-buster-helm-app/README.md ``` Summary of the difference: | Flux resource | What it stores | Purpose in this flow | | - | - | - | | `HelmRepository` | Helm repository index metadata (`index.yaml`) and chart URLs | Registers a remote Helm repo so Flux can discover charts | | `HelmChart` (artifact created for a chart/version) | The downloaded chart package (`.tgz`) containing `Chart.yaml`, `values.yaml`, templates | The actual chart contents used by Helm to render templates | | `HelmRelease` | Desired chart/version + values + reconcile strategy | Declares the intended release to be installed into the cluster | *** ## 5) Verify the HelmRelease and deployed resources After committing/applying the manifests, Flux will reconcile and install the release. Check HelmReleases: ```bash theme={null} flux get helmreleases # sample output: # NAME REVISION SUSPENDED READY MESSAGE # 6-demo-helm-release-bb-app 7.6.0 False True Release reconciliation succeeded ``` Verify the namespace and resources — the `HelmRelease` targeted `targetNamespace: 6-demo`, `replicaCount=2`, and `nodePort=30006`: ```bash theme={null} kubectl get namespaces kubectl -n 6-demo get all # sample output: # NAME READY STATUS RESTARTS AGE # pod/block-buster-helm-app-xxxxx 1/1 Running 0 5m # pod/block-buster-helm-app-yyyyy 1/1 Running 0 5m # # NAME TYPE CLUSTER-IP EXTERNAL-IP PORT(S) AGE # service/block-buster-helm-app NodePort 10.108.248.3 80:30006/TCP 5m # # NAME READY UP-TO-DATE AVAILABLE AGE # deployment.apps/block-buster-helm-app 2/2 2 2 5m ``` Access the application in the browser at `http://localhost:30006` (or the appropriate node IP and nodePort) to confirm the running app and version. The application UI (Block Buster demo) is accessible and interactive: ![A colorful "BLOCK BUSTER" arcade-style Breakout screen showing rows of colored bricks, a paddle and a ball. The top panel displays pod/app info (Pod Name, Pod IP, Namespace, K8S Node, App Version) with level, score and lives, and a "START GAME" button at the bottom.](https://mintcdn.com/kodekloud-c4ac6d9a/AyhVWHpoMIYCWiei/images/GitOps-with-FluxCD/Helm-Controller-and-OCI-Registry/Demo-Helm-Controller-with-Helm-Repository-as-Source/k8s-breakout-arcade-pod-info.jpg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=AyhVWHpoMIYCWiei\&q=85\&s=358e14615516d993308485e2d69ce383) Using `NodePort` exposes the application on cluster nodes — ensure this is acceptable for your environment. For production, consider `LoadBalancer` services or an Ingress controller with authentication and TLS. *** ## Summary * Registered a Helm repository in Flux using a `HelmRepository` source. * Prepared a `values` file and created a `HelmRelease` that points to the `HelmRepository`. * The source-controller fetched the repository `index.yaml` (which contains chart URLs). When the `HelmRelease` reconciled, Flux fetched the `.tgz` chart package and installed it into the cluster. * Deployed application version `7.6.0` is running in namespace `6-demo` with two replicas and NodePort `30006`. *** ## Links and references * Flux CLI and docs: [https://fluxcd.io/docs/flux-cli/](https://fluxcd.io/docs/flux-cli/) * Flux source-controller: [https://fluxcd.io/docs/components/source/](https://fluxcd.io/docs/components/source/) * Flux Helm controller (HelmRelease): [https://fluxcd.io/docs/components/helm/helmrelease/](https://fluxcd.io/docs/components/helm/helmrelease/) * Artifact Hub: [https://artifacthub.io/](https://artifacthub.io/) * GitHub Releases: [https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/releasing-projects-on-github/about-releases](https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/releasing-projects-on-github/about-releases) That's it for this lesson — deploying a packaged Helm chart from a Helm repository using Flux's HelmRepository and HelmRelease. > **[Watch Video](https://learn.kodekloud.com/user/courses/gitops-with-fluxcd/module/205ec7c7-4cb6-4ecb-9bb5-fa50419f1e68/lesson/ecf68189-22e7-42cb-8d37-42c920fc6eff)** > **[Practice Lab](https://learn.kodekloud.com/user/courses/gitops-with-fluxcd/module/205ec7c7-4cb6-4ecb-9bb5-fa50419f1e68/lesson/a5be4a2b-b5d7-46ea-9b43-c41d097ba161)** This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.