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Helm vs Kustomize

April 12, 2022

Helm vs Kustomize: A Close Comparison

When it comes to managing Kubernetes cluster deployments, Helm and Kustomize are two of the most popular choices available in the market. Both of these tools make it easier to manage complex applications and configurations in your cluster with full automation. But which one is better in a head-to-head competition? In this article, we will compare and contrast the two methods and highlight some of the key differences between them.

Helm

Helm is an open-source package manager designed for Kubernetes deployments that streamlines the installation and configuration of even the most complex applications. Helm uses charts to represent applications in the Kubernetes environment; these charts are a collection of YAML files describing a related set of Kubernetes resources. A chart can describe simple things like standalone applications or entire stacks of applications.

The main advantage of Helm is that it offers a catalog of charts available for download, which can be easily customized with values on the set-up phase. This feature allows users to configure their deployments precisely to their specific needs. Helm can also manage Kubernetes resources and keep track of the changes made. In addition to these features, Helm is more widely adopted by the Kubernetes community and has a more extensive user community from which one can leverage support.

Pros

  • Simplifies the installation and management of complex applications in Kubernetes.
  • Provides catalog of pre-built and customizable charts.
  • Established and widely adopted in the Kubernetes community.
  • Scales across multiple clusters, making it the right choice for large-scale companies.

Cons

  • Steeper learning curve as users must understand the mechanism and overall architecture of Helm.
  • The charts are version-centric; this makes it complex to introduce changes, particularly in large projects.

Kustomize

Kustomize is an open-source tool designed to manage Kubernetes configuration by making it easier to manage several configurations and customizing Kubernetes applications' resources. Kustomize allows teams to decouple configuration details from their upstream Kubernetes manifests, which makes customizing and managing various environments easier.

Kustomize uses overlays to change Kubernetes resources' behavior and is an ideal tool for deployment and cluster administration. An overlay is a set of rules and patches over a baseline configuration, which can change values or add configuration to an existing environment. Kustomize is a much simpler tool than Helm due to its less complex architecture and has a shallow learning curve.

Pros

  • Simplified and streamlined management of Kubernetes configurations.
  • Plug and play approach to customization and implementation, making it ideal for small projects or beginners.
  • Ideal for patching an infrastructure in production environments.

Cons

  • Limited or no support for pre-built components, thus requiring customization from scratch.
  • Overlays are not version centric; this can make the configuration process more difficult if the base configuration is changed.

Conclusion

Both Helm and Kustomize provide valuable features to those managing Kubernetes resources; However, each comes with its pros and cons. Helm's more complex architecture is offset by pre-built and customizable components, making it ideal for larger projects, while Kustomize's more straightforward configuration approach is useful for simple deployments, smaller projects or even as a learning tool. The choice of a tool ultimately depends on the specific use case in question.

We recommend trying out each tool to see which one best suits your needs.

References

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