Helm Interview Questions and Answers for internship

1. What is Helm?

   • Answer: Helm is a package manager for Kubernetes. It simplifies the deployment and management of Kubernetes applications by packaging them into charts, which are reusable templates. It allows for easier version control, deployment, and updates of applications on Kubernetes.

2. Explain the concept of a Helm chart.

   • Answer: A Helm chart is a collection of files that describe a related set of Kubernetes resources. It's essentially a package containing the YAML files needed to deploy an application, including deployments, services, ingress, configmaps, etc. It's structured as a directory containing various files and subdirectories.

3. What is a Helm release?

   • Answer: A Helm release is a deployed instance of a Helm chart. Each time you install a chart, you create a new release. Releases are tracked by Helm, allowing you to upgrade, rollback, and delete them.

4. What are values in a Helm chart?

   • Answer: Values are used to customize a Helm chart during installation. They are key-value pairs that override default settings defined within the chart. Values files allow for environment-specific configurations without modifying the chart itself.

5. How do you install a Helm chart?

   • Answer: You install a Helm chart using the `helm install` command. This command takes the chart name and optionally a release name as arguments. You can also specify values using a values file or flags.

6. How do you upgrade a Helm release?

   • Answer: You upgrade a Helm release using the `helm upgrade` command. This command allows you to update an existing release with a newer version of the chart or with new values.

7. How do you rollback a Helm release?

   • Answer: Helm tracks the history of your releases. You can rollback to a previous revision using the `helm rollback` command followed by the release name and revision number.

8. What is a Helm repository?

   • Answer: A Helm repository is a location where Helm charts are stored. It's similar to a package repository for software. You can add repositories to your Helm client to access charts from different sources.

9. How do you add a Helm repository?

   • Answer: You add a Helm repository using the `helm repo add` command followed by a name and the repository URL.

10. How do you search for charts in a Helm repository?

    • Answer: You search for charts using the `helm search repo` command followed by keywords or chart names.

11. What is `helm lint` used for?

    • Answer: `helm lint` checks a chart for issues and potential problems before installation. It verifies the chart's structure and YAML syntax.

12. Explain the concept of Helm hooks.

    • Answer: Helm hooks are scripts or commands that are executed at specific points during the lifecycle of a release (pre-install, post-install, pre-upgrade, post-upgrade, pre-delete, post-delete). They allow for custom actions to be performed before or after the main deployment.

13. What are templates in Helm charts?

    • Answer: Templates in Helm charts are Go templates that are used to generate Kubernetes YAML manifests. They allow for dynamic values to be inserted into the YAML, enabling customization and flexibility.

14. Explain the difference between `helm install` and `helm upgrade`.

    • Answer: `helm install` creates a new release from a chart, while `helm upgrade` updates an existing release. `helm upgrade` allows you to apply changes to an existing release without reinstalling the entire application.

15. How do you delete a Helm release?

    • Answer: You delete a Helm release using the `helm uninstall` command followed by the release name.

16. What is the purpose of the `Chart.yaml` file in a Helm chart?

    • Answer: `Chart.yaml` is a YAML file that describes the chart itself. It contains metadata such as the chart name, version, description, and dependencies.

17. What is the purpose of the `values.yaml` file in a Helm chart?

    • Answer: `values.yaml` contains the default values for the chart. These values are used to customize the deployment during installation. Users can override these defaults.

18. What are Helm dependencies and how do you manage them?

    • Answer: Helm dependencies allow charts to depend on other charts. They are declared in the `Chart.yaml` file and managed using the `requirements.yaml` file. Helm automatically resolves and installs these dependencies during chart installation.

19. How do you specify values during Helm installation?

    • Answer: Values can be specified using a values file (`-f values.yaml`), or using command-line flags (`--set key=value`).

20. Describe the role of `templates/` directory in a Helm chart.

    • Answer: The `templates/` directory contains the Go templates that are used to generate Kubernetes YAML manifests. These templates are processed during chart installation to produce the actual manifests deployed to the cluster.

21. What is a Helm plugin?

    • Answer: A Helm plugin extends Helm's functionality by adding new commands or features. They can be used to integrate with other tools or provide custom actions.

22. How do you create a new Helm chart?

    • Answer: You create a new Helm chart using the `helm create` command followed by the chart name.

23. What are some best practices for writing Helm charts?

    • Answer: Some best practices include using meaningful names, modularizing charts, using values effectively, and writing clean and well-documented templates.

24. How can you debug Helm templates?

    • Answer: You can use the `helm template` command to render templates locally without installing them. This allows you to inspect the generated YAML and identify any issues.

25. How do you handle secrets in Helm charts?

    • Answer: Secrets should be managed using Kubernetes Secrets and referenced in the templates. Avoid hardcoding secrets directly into templates.

26. What is the difference between a global value and a chart-specific value?

    • Answer: A global value is applied across multiple charts, while a chart-specific value is limited to a single chart.

27. How do you use Helm to deploy a microservice architecture?

    • Answer: Each microservice can be packaged as a separate Helm chart, allowing for independent deployment and scaling.

28. Explain the concept of Helm test.

    • Answer: Helm test allows running tests against a deployed release. These tests can verify the deployment's health and functionality.

29. How do you manage Helm chart versions?

    • Answer: Chart versions are managed through the `Chart.yaml` file, using semantic versioning (e.g., 1.0.0, 1.2.3).

Thank you for reading our blog post on 'Helm Interview Questions and Answers for internship'.We hope you found it informative and useful.Stay tuned for more insightful content!