How to Install Helm on Ubuntu, Mac and Windows

Introduction

Helm is a package manager that simplifies Kubernetes application deployment by packaging all the necessary deployment information into a single Helm chart. Charts are Kubernetes manifest bundles that facilitate the management of complex applications across multiple Kubernetes clusters.

In this step-by-step tutorial, you will learn how to install Helm on Ubuntu, Mac, and Windows.

Prerequisites

• A system running Ubuntu, macOS, or Windows.
• Command-line access.
• Access to a Kubernetes cluster.

How to Install Helm on Ubuntu

To install Helm on Ubuntu, download the latest compatible binary and add it to the system path. Follow the steps below to complete this procedure:

1. Use curl to download the latest version of Helm. The download links for all supported architectures are available on the official website. For example, if your system uses the x64 architecture, type the following command to download the 3.16.2 version of Helm:

curl -O https://get.helm.sh/helm-v3.16.2-linux-amd64.tar.gz

Wait for the download to finish.

2. Unpack the file using the Linux tar command:

tar xvf helm-v3.16.2-linux-amd64.tar.gz

The output displays four unpacked files.

3. Move the linux-amd64/helm file to the /usr/local/bin directory:

sudo mv linux-amd64/helm /usr/local/bin

There is no output if the command is executed correctly.

4. Remove the downloaded file using the following command:

rm helm-v3.16.2-linux-amd64.tar.gz

5. Remove the linux-amd64 directory to clean up space:

rm -rf linux-amd64

6. Finally, verify you installed Helm by checking the version of the software:

helm version

The terminal prints out the Helm version number.

How to Install Helm on Mac

The steps described in the Ubuntu section of this article can also be used to install Helm on macOS. However, the simplest installation method on macOS involves using the Helm formula available in the Homebrew package manager. The steps below describe this procedure.

1. Update the Homebrew formulae:

brew update

2. Install Helm using the following command:

brew install helm

3. Confirm the installation success by checking the Helm version:

helm version

How to Install Helm on Windows

Follow the procedure below to download and install Helm on Windows:

1. Visit the official Helm releases page on GitHub.

2. Select the Windows download link corresponding to your system's architecture. Wait for the download to finish.

3. Extract the ZIP file to the preferred location.

4. In the Run prompt (Win+r), type sysdm.cpl and click OK.

5. In the Advanced tab of the System Properties, select Environment Variables.

6. Select the Path variable and click Edit.

7. Select New and input the location of the Helm binary. Press Enter to confirm.

8. Open the command line window and enter the helm command to verify that you have access to Helm.

Conclusion

After following this step-by-step tutorial, you should have successfully installed Helm on Ubuntu, Mac, or Windows. Helm is a tool that simplifies the complexity of Kubernetes, and it is an excellent start for beginners.

Next, we recommend our articles on How to Create Helm Charts or How to Use Environment Variables With Helm Charts.