Helm vs Terraform: A Detailed Comparison for Developers

When managing infrastructure and deploying applications in a cloud-native environment, two popular tools that developers often compare are Helm and Terraform.

While both are used to automate deployments, they serve different purposes and operate in distinct ways. Understanding the differences can help you make the right choice for your use case.

What is Helm?

Helm is a package manager for Kubernetes that simplifies the deployment and management of applications in a Kubernetes cluster. It uses Helm Charts, which are predefined templates that bundle together Kubernetes manifests. This makes Helm an essential tool for Kubernetes users who want to manage complex deployments efficiently.

Key Features of Helm:

• Templating and Reusability: Helm enables the creation of reusable Kubernetes YAML manifests with templates. This reduces duplication and enhances the maintainability of configurations.
• Version Control for Deployments: Helm charts are versioned, making it easy to revert to previous versions of an application if necessary.
• Dependency Management: Helm handles dependencies between charts, ensuring the correct order of deployment for interconnected applications.
• Release Management: Helm tracks the deployed applications, allowing for simple upgrades or rollbacks to previous versions.
• Integration with Kubernetes: As a tool designed specifically for Kubernetes, Helm integrates seamlessly with the platform to streamline application deployments.

What is Terraform?

Terraform is an open-source infrastructure-as-code (IaC) tool used to automate the provisioning and management of infrastructure across various cloud providers and on-premise environments. It enables developers to define the entire lifecycle of infrastructure using a declarative language, Terraform Configuration files, and allows for automated creation, updates, and deletion of resources.

Key Features of Terraform:

• Multi-cloud Support: Terraform works across various cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, GCP, and more, allowing developers to manage infrastructure in a consistent manner.
• Declarative Configuration: Using HCL (HashiCorp Configuration Language), developers can describe the desired infrastructure state, and Terraform ensures the actual infrastructure matches this state.
• Resource Management: Terraform is focused on provisioning and managing infrastructure resources like servers, networking, databases, and storage.
• State Management: Terraform maintains a state file that tracks the real-world state of your infrastructure, helping to identify changes and prevent discrepancies between actual and desired states.
• Modular Design: Terraform uses modules to allow the reuse of common infrastructure code, improving maintainability.

6 Scenarios Where the Similarities Between Helm and Terraform Shine

While Helm and Terraform have different scopes, they share several similarities that make them both valuable tools in modern DevOps workflows:

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Both Helm and Terraform enable declarative infrastructure management, allowing users to define desired states and automate deployments.
• Configuration Management: Both tools allow managing complex configurations using templates (Helm uses YAML templates, while Terraform uses HCL).
• Automation and Reproducibility: Helm and Terraform automate deployment processes, ensuring that environments remain consistent and reproducible across different stages.
• Version Control: Both tools support versioning—Helm uses chart versions, while Terraform relies on state management and version control for infrastructure definitions.
• Dependency Management: They manage dependencies effectively—Helm handles Kubernetes chart dependencies, and Terraform manages infrastructure resource dependencies.
• Collaboration and Reusability: Helm charts and Terraform modules allow teams to share and reuse configurations, reducing duplication and improving maintainability.

Key Differences Between Helm and Terraform

While Helm and Terraform serve different primary functions, they have several key distinctions that set them apart. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how they differ:

• Primary Use Case
  • Helm: Manages Kubernetes applications
  • Terraform: Provisions and manages infrastructure across various cloud providers
• Scope
  • Helm: Kubernetes-specific
  • Terraform: Multi-cloud and multi-platform infrastructure management
• Configuration Language
  • Helm: YAML-based templates (Helm Charts)
  • Terraform: HCL (HashiCorp Configuration Language)
• State Management
  • Helm: No persistent state; relies on Kubernetes API to track deployments
  • Terraform: Maintains a state file to track infrastructure changes and dependencies
• Dependency Handling
  • Helm: Uses dependencies in Helm charts to install required services
  • Terraform: Uses a dependency graph to ensure infrastructure resources are provisioned in the correct order
• Rollbacks
  • Helm: Supports rollbacks with helm rollback <release>
  • Terraform: Rollbacks require modifying or restoring the Terraform state manually
• Provisioning Scope
  • Helm: Works at the application level, deploying containerized workloads within Kubernetes clusters
  • Terraform: Works at the infrastructure level, provisioning cloud and on-prem resources like virtual machines, databases, and networks
• Execution Model
  • Helm: Applies changes directly to Kubernetes clusters
  • Terraform: Uses a plan-and-apply approach, first generating an execution plan and then applying it
• Lifecycle Management
  • Helm: Focuses on application lifecycle management (install, upgrade, rollback)
  • Terraform: Manages full infrastructure lifecycle, including provisioning, updating, and tearing down environments
• Multi-Environment Support
  • Helm: Can deploy to multiple Kubernetes environments but requires external configuration management
  • Terraform: Native support for managing multiple environments via workspaces and state files
• Third-Party Integrations
  • Helm: Extensible via Helm repositories and community charts
  • Terraform: Supports modules and providers for AWS, Azure, GCP, Kubernetes, and other platforms
• Complexity
  • Helm: Easier to get started, mainly focused on Kubernetes workloads
  • Terraform: More complex due to state management, dependencies, and cross-cloud provisioning

When to Use Helm and Terraform?

When to Use Helm?

• When deploying and managing Kubernetes applications using a packaged approach.
• If you need an easy way to manage application upgrades and rollbacks.
• When dealing with complex Kubernetes configurations that require templating and reusability.
• If your infrastructure is already provisioned, and you just need a Kubernetes-native tool for application management.

When to Use Terraform?

• If you need to provision infrastructure beyond Kubernetes (e.g., AWS EC2, Azure VMs, networking, databases, etc.).
• When working with multi-cloud or hybrid cloud environments.
• If you require state management to track changes across infrastructure.
• When you need a declarative way to define and automate infrastructure.

Can Helm and Terraform Work Together?

Yes! Many teams use Terraform to provision Kubernetes clusters and Helm to deploy applications within those clusters. Terraform can install Helm charts by using the Helm provider, which bridges the gap between infrastructure provisioning and application deployment.

Example Workflow:

1. Use Terraform to create a Kubernetes cluster on AWS EKS, GCP GKE, or Azure AKS.
2. Use Terraform’s Helm provider to deploy Helm charts within the newly created cluster.
3. Manage updates using Helm while keeping infrastructure changes within Terraform.

Conclusion

Both Helm and Terraform are powerful tools that serve different purposes. Helm is best suited for managing Kubernetes applications, while Terraform excels at provisioning infrastructure across cloud environments.

If your workflow involves Kubernetes, using Terraform for infrastructure provisioning and Helm for application deployment is a best practice that many teams follow.

FAQs

1. Can Terraform replace Helm?

No. Terraform is designed for infrastructure provisioning, while Helm is for managing Kubernetes applications. They solve different problems but complement each other well.

2. Is Helm only for Kubernetes?

Yes. Helm is a Kubernetes-specific tool, whereas Terraform is more general-purpose and supports multiple platforms.

3. Do I need to learn both Helm and Terraform?

It depends on your role. If you're working with Kubernetes applications, learning Helm is essential. If you're managing cloud infrastructure, Terraform is a must-have. In many cases, teams use both tools together.

4. How do rollbacks work in Helm vs Terraform?

Helm has built-in support for rollbacks with helm rollback <release>. Terraform requires managing rollbacks through state files and reapplying configurations.

5. Which one is easier to learn?

Helm is easier to pick up if you’re already familiar with Kubernetes. Terraform has a learning curve due to its state management and HCL syntax, but it’s powerful once mastered.

6. Can I use Terraform to install Helm charts?

Yes. Terraform has a Helm provider that allows you to install and manage Helm charts as part of your Terraform configuration.