Helm Advanced Quiz

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Welcome! 🚀 Mastered the basics? Test your expertise with advanced Helm scenarios including OCI, Library Charts, and Security.

Instructions:

• Select the best answer for each question.
• Your score will be shown at the end.
• Aim for 100% mastery!

#

What is a Library Chart?

A chart that provides templates/functions but creates no artifacts

A chart with binaries

A chart that installs a database

A deprecated chart format

Library charts are used to share reusable code (templates/functions) to be used by other charts (DRY).

#

How does Helm 3 support OCI registries?

It can store charts as OCI artifacts (like Docker images)

It converts charts to Docker images automatically

It runs charts inside Docker

It does not support OCI

Helm can push and pull charts from OCI-compliant registries using helm push and helm pull.

#

How are secrets stored in Helm by default?

As base64 encoded strings in Kubernetes Secrets

Encrypted with AES-256

Plain text in ConfigMaps

In a separate Vault server

Helm does not encrypt secrets natively; it relies on Kubernetes Secrets mechanism (base64).

#

What is the helm-diff plugin used for?

Previewing changes before upgrading

differentiating between two charts

comparing values files

verifying checksums

It shows a diff of the current release manifest against the new manifest, essential for safe upgrades.

#

What is the purpose of chart provenance?

To verify the integrity and origin of a chart

To track download stats

To list dependencies

To debug templates

Provenance files (.prov) allow users to verify that a chart was signed by a trusted provider and hasn't been tampered with.

#

How can you modify a chart without forking it?

Using the Post-Rendering feature

You cannot

Using sed command

By changing the cluster

Post-rendering allows you to pipe the rendered manifest to an external tool (like Kustomize) before applying it.

#

What limits the size of a Helm release?

Kubernetes Secret size limit (1MB)

Helm binary size

Bandwidth

Docker image limit

Helm stores release history in Secrets, so huge releases (many resources) can hit the etcd/Secret size limit.

#

How do global values work?

Values under global key are accessible to all subcharts

They are environment variables

They are cluster-wide settings

They are ignored by subcharts

The global node is special: it's passed down to every dependency, allowing shared config.

#

How do you persist a resource during helm uninstall?

helm.sh/resource-policy: keep

helm.sh/persist: true

helm.sh/ignore-delete: true

You cannot

Adding the resource-policy annotation tells Helm to skip deleting this resource.

#

How do you reference a private registry image?

Using imagePullSecrets

Using --login flag

Embedding password in image name

Helm handles it automatically

You must create a Secret for the registry and reference it in the Pod spec via imagePullSecrets.

#

What happens if a pre-install hook fails?

The release fails and aborts

It continues with a warning

It retries indefinitely

It skips the hook

If a hook fails, the release process is aborted and marked as failed.

#

How do you unit test a Helm chart?

Using the helm-unittest plugin

Using helm lint

Using kubectl apply --dry-run

Using go test

helm-unittest allows writing YAML-based test suites to assert template logic without a cluster.

#

How do you secure Helm's access?

Using Kubernetes RBAC

Using Helm Users

Using API Keys

Using SSH Keys

Helm 3 uses the user's kubeconfig credentials, so access is controlled by standard Kubernetes RBAC.

#

How do you verify if a cluster supports a specific API version in a template?

.Capabilities.APIVersions.Has

.Cluster.Version.Has

.API.Check

.Versions.Contains

.Capabilities allows identifying cluster features and versions dynamically.

#

What is the Umbrella Chart pattern?

A chart that only contains dependencies (subcharts)

A chart that installs Helm itself

A chart for weather apps

A secure chart

It composes a complex application by aggregating multiple services as dependencies.

#

How do you handle CRD upgrades safely?

Manual process or separate infrastructure chart

Helm upgrade --force

Helm upgrade --crd

Automatic upgrade

Since Helm ignores CRD changes, you typically manage them outside the chart or via a separate process.

#

How do you force a re-creation of pods during upgrade (e.g., config change)?

Add a checksum annotation to the Pod template

Delete pods manually

Scale down and up

Wait for timeout

Adding checksum/config: {{ include (print $.Template.BasePath "/configmap.yaml") . | sha256sum }} to annotations forces rolling update on config change.

#

What creates a starter scaffolding for a new chart?

helm create

helm init

helm new

helm start

helm create [name] generates the standard directory structure.

#

How do you debug a release: already exists error?

Check helm list -A (including failed/uninstalled)

Restart the cluster

Reinstall Helm

Change chart name

Often a failed previous install leaves a history record.

#

How do you push a chart to a Chart Museum?

helm cm-push (plugin) or HTTP POST

helm upload

helm commit

helm send

Chart Museum is a popular open-source repository server, typically accessed via plugin or API.

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