Technology

Werf vs Helm: Overcoming Helm Limitations with Werf and Nelm

July 25, 2024
By John Hardiman

Werf and Nelm surpass Helm by resolving Kubernetes deployment limitations. Nelm's Server-Side Apply and Werf's backward compatibility offer enhanced performance, real-time tracking, and robust updates, significantly optimizing your DevOps processes...

Key Takeaways

Werf and Nelm offer enhanced deployment performance and real-time tracking compared to Helm.
Nelm uses Server-Side Apply (SSA) for better consistency and robustness in Kubernetes deployments.
Werf retains backward compatibility with Helm, making transitions seamless.
Helm’s 3-Way Merge can be error-prone, whereas Nelm provides advanced resource status tracking.
Integrating Werf and Nelm into your workflow can optimize your DevOps processes significantly.

Introduction to the Revolution of Kubernetes Deployments

Deploying applications to Kubernetes has always been a challenge, but tools like Helm have made it easier by automating deployments and managing configurations. However, Helm has its limitations. That’s where Werf and its new deployment engine, Nelm, come into play. They offer enhanced features that address the shortcomings of Helm and provide a more robust solution for Kubernetes deployments.

Why Helm Needed an Upgrade

Helm has been a staple in the Kubernetes ecosystem, simplifying the deployment process and providing a template-based configuration. Despite its popularity, Helm has several limitations that can hinder your workflow. Most importantly, Helm’s 3-Way Merge approach can lead to complex and error-prone updates.

“Helm relies on the 3-Way Merge (3WM) for updates, which can be error-prone. Nelm, on the other hand, uses Server-Side Apply (SSA), ensuring better consistency and robustness.”

Key Features of Helm

Before diving into how Werf and Nelm improve upon Helm, let’s take a closer look at some of the key features that have made Helm so popular.

Simplicity and Deployment Automation

Automates Kubernetes deployments, reducing manual intervention.
Provides a simple CLI for managing applications.
Supports rollback capabilities for safer deployments.

Template-Based Configuration

Helm uses templates to manage Kubernetes resources, making it easier to customize deployments. This feature allows developers to define reusable templates that can be applied across multiple environments. For more insights, you can read about mastering Helm charts for efficient Kubernetes package management.

Reusable templates for Kubernetes resources.
Easy customization for different environments.
Streamlines the configuration management process.

Dependency Management

One of Helm’s strengths is its ability to manage dependencies effectively. This feature ensures that all necessary components are deployed together, reducing the risk of missing dependencies.

However, while these features are beneficial, they come with their own set of challenges, especially when dealing with complex deployments.

Helm Limitations Holding You Back

Despite its advantages, Helm has several limitations that can impede your DevOps workflow. Understanding these limitations is crucial for optimizing your deployment processes.

Complexity and Error-Prone Updates

Helm’s 3-Way Merge approach can be complex and error-prone, especially in large-scale deployments. This complexity can lead to inconsistencies and make it difficult to manage updates effectively.

“CI/CD with Kubernetes | werf” from werf.io and used with no modifications.

Werf and Nelm as Game Changers

While Helm has been instrumental in simplifying Kubernetes deployments, Werf and its deployment engine, Nelm, take things to the next level. They address many of the limitations inherent in Helm, providing a more streamlined and efficient deployment process.

Introduction to Werf

Werf is a powerful CI/CD tool designed to automate the entire lifecycle of applications running on Kubernetes. It integrates with popular CI systems and provides advanced features for building, testing, and deploying applications. Werf is particularly strong in handling complex deployments and maintaining consistency across environments, making it one of the top tools for financial tech startups.

The Role of Nelm

Nelm, introduced in Werf v2.0, is a partial reimplementation of Helm, designed to overcome its limitations. Nelm focuses on improving the deployment process by using Server-Side Apply (SSA) for updates, which ensures better consistency and robustness. It also offers advanced resource status tracking and improved chart management.

By integrating Nelm into Werf, users can enjoy the benefits of a more reliable and efficient deployment process without sacrificing compatibility with existing Helm charts.

Nelm’s Key Features

Nelm offers several key features that set it apart from Helm and make it a valuable addition to the Werf ecosystem. These features are designed to address the common pain points associated with Helm and provide a more robust solution for Kubernetes deployments.

Server-Side Apply (SSA) for better consistency.
Advanced resource status tracking.
Improved chart management.

Server-Side Apply (SSA) for Better Consistency

One of the most significant improvements Nelm brings is the use of Server-Side Apply (SSA) for updating Kubernetes resources. Unlike Helm’s 3-Way Merge, SSA ensures that updates are applied consistently and reliably, reducing the risk of errors and inconsistencies.

SSA works by sending the entire desired state of a resource to the Kubernetes API server, which then determines the necessary changes to achieve that state. This approach minimizes the chances of conflicts and ensures that the resource remains in the desired state.

Advanced Resource Status Tracking

Nelm also offers advanced resource status tracking, which provides real-time insights into the state of your deployments. This feature allows you to monitor the status of your resources more effectively and identify any issues that may arise during the deployment process. For more on optimizing your Kubernetes setup, check out this guide on Kubernetes cluster performance tuning.

By providing detailed information about the status of each resource, Nelm makes it easier to troubleshoot problems and ensure that your deployments are running smoothly.

Improved Chart Management

Another key feature of Nelm is its improved chart management capabilities. Nelm offers a more flexible and efficient way to manage Helm charts, making it easier to customize and deploy applications across different environments.

With Nelm, you can take advantage of advanced chart management features such as versioning, dependency management, and templating, which streamline the deployment process and reduce the risk of errors.

Real-World Benefits of Using Werf and Nelm

The combination of Werf and Nelm offers several real-world benefits that can significantly improve your DevOps workflow.

Werf

Integrated CI/CD: Werf integrates seamlessly with CI/CD pipelines, allowing for automated building, testing, and deployment processes, which Helm does not inherently provide.
GitOps Workflow: Werf follows a GitOps approach, making it easier to manage and deploy applications using Git as a single source of truth, enhancing traceability and collaboration.
Advanced Image Management: Werf offers advanced Docker image management, including multi-stage builds, parallel builds, and built-in image cleanup, which Helm lacks.
Built-in Secret Management: Werf includes native support for managing secrets, whereas Helm requires additional tools like Sealed Secrets or Vault for secret management.
Environment Management: Werf supports multiple environments (e.g., dev, staging, production) out-of-the-box, simplifying environment-specific configurations and deployments.

Nelm

End-to-End Machine Learning Pipeline: Nelm is designed specifically for machine learning workflows, providing tools for data processing, model training, and deployment, which Helm does not focus on.
Model Versioning and Monitoring: Nelm offers built-in support for model versioning and monitoring, ensuring that you can track and manage different versions of your models effectively.
Simplified ML Deployments: Nelm abstracts many complexities involved in deploying machine learning models, providing a more streamlined and user-friendly approach compared to Helm’s general-purpose deployment capabilities.
Integration with ML Frameworks: Nelm is built to integrate with popular machine learning frameworks (like TensorFlow, PyTorch), making it easier to deploy ML models without extensive custom configurations.
Optimized for ML Workflows: Nelm provides features specifically optimized for machine learning, such as experiment tracking and hyperparameter tuning, which Helm does not support.

Compared to Helm

Werf and Nelm provide more specialized tools for specific workflows (GitOps for Werf and ML pipelines for Nelm) compared to Helm’s general-purpose Kubernetes application deployment.
Enhanced Automation: Both Werf and Nelm emphasize automation within their respective domains, reducing manual overhead and potential for human error.
Extended Functionality: They offer extended functionalities tailored to their use cases, such as Werf’s advanced image management and Nelm’s model versioning, which are not native to Helm.

These specialized features and workflows make Werf and Nelm advantageous for specific use cases over Helm, particularly in environments where automated CI/CD processes and machine learning workflows are critical.

Enhanced Deployment Performance

Werf and Nelm provide enhanced deployment performance by automating the entire deployment process and ensuring that updates are applied consistently and reliably. This automation reduces the risk of errors and inconsistencies, allowing you to deploy applications more quickly and efficiently.

In addition, the advanced resource status tracking and improved chart management capabilities of Nelm make it easier to monitor and manage your deployments, further enhancing the overall performance of your DevOps workflow.

Seamless Transition and Backward Compatibility

One of the key advantages of Werf and Nelm is their seamless transition and backward compatibility with existing Helm charts. This means that you can easily integrate Nelm into your existing workflows without having to make significant changes to your deployment processes.

By retaining compatibility with Helm, Werf and Nelm allow you to take advantage of the advanced features and improvements they offer without sacrificing the benefits of your existing Helm-based deployments.

Case Studies

Werf is widely used for managing Kubernetes applications with GitOps workflows. Here are a couple of notable case studies:

Flant:
- Flant, a consulting and managed services company, uses Werf to manage their clients’ Kubernetes deployments. Werf’s integration with CI/CD pipelines and advanced image management features allow Flant to handle complex deployment scenarios effectively. This has enabled them to improve deployment speed and reliability across different environments.
SimilarWeb:
- SimilarWeb, a digital market intelligence company, leverages Werf for their microservices deployments. The use of Werf has helped them streamline their deployment processes, reduce manual interventions, and ensure consistent application states across multiple environments.

These examples highlight Werf’s capabilities in simplifying Kubernetes deployments and maintaining consistent and reliable application states through its advanced features and GitOps approach.

Adopting Werf and Nelm in Your Workflow

Now that we’ve explored the benefits of Werf and Nelm, let’s discuss how you can adopt these tools in your workflow. The following sections provide step-by-step instructions for getting started with Werf and integrating Nelm into your existing Helm charts.

Getting Started with Werf

To get started with Werf, follow these steps:

Install Werf by following the installation instructions on the official Werf website.
Configure Werf to work with your CI system and Kubernetes cluster.
Create a Werf configuration file to define your application’s build, test, and deployment processes.
Run Werf commands to build, test, and deploy your application.

Future Integration with GitOps (Flux)

As the DevOps landscape continues to evolve, integrating Werf and Nelm with GitOps workflows, such as those powered by Flux, becomes increasingly important. GitOps emphasizes declarative configurations and version control, which aligns perfectly with the capabilities of Werf and Nelm.

To integrate Werf and Nelm with Flux, follow these steps:

Set up a Git repository to store your Kubernetes manifests and Werf configurations.
Configure Flux to watch your Git repository for changes and automatically apply updates to your Kubernetes cluster.
Use Werf to build, test, and deploy your applications, ensuring that all changes are committed to your Git repository.
Leverage Nelm’s advanced features, such as SSA and resource status tracking, to maintain consistency and reliability in your deployments.

By integrating Werf and Nelm with Flux, you can achieve a fully automated and reliable GitOps workflow that simplifies the management of your Kubernetes deployments.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Werf and Nelm offer significant improvements over Helm, addressing many of its limitations and providing a more robust solution for Kubernetes deployments. With features like Server-Side Apply (SSA), advanced resource status tracking, and improved chart management, Werf and Nelm can optimize your DevOps workflows and enhance deployment performance.

By adopting Werf and Nelm, you can enjoy the benefits of a more reliable and efficient deployment process, seamless transitions, and backward compatibility with existing Helm charts. Furthermore, integrating Werf and Nelm with GitOps workflows like Flux can take your DevOps practices to the next level.

The Future of Kubernetes Deployments

The future of Kubernetes deployments looks promising with tools like Werf and Nelm leading the way. As the DevOps landscape continues to evolve, we can expect further innovations and improvements that will make deploying and managing applications on Kubernetes even more efficient and reliable.

Werf and Nelm are just the beginning. By staying informed about the latest developments and adopting best practices, you can ensure that your DevOps workflows remain optimized and future-proof.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

To help you get started with Werf and Nelm, here are some frequently asked questions and their answers.

What is Werf?

How does Nelm improve upon Helm?

Nelm improves upon Helm by using Server-Side Apply (SSA) for updates, which ensures better consistency and robustness. It also offers advanced resource status tracking and improved chart management, making it a more reliable and efficient solution for Kubernetes deployments.

Does Nelm support existing Helm charts?

Yes, Nelm retains backward compatibility with existing Helm charts. This means you can easily integrate Nelm into your existing workflows without having to make significant changes to your deployment processes.

By retaining compatibility with Helm, Werf and Nelm allow you to take advantage of the advanced features and improvements they offer without sacrificing the benefits of your existing Helm-based deployments.

Can Werf and Nelm be used in a GitOps workflow?

Yes, Werf and Nelm can be integrated with GitOps workflows, such as those powered by Flux. This integration allows you to achieve a fully automated and reliable GitOps workflow that simplifies the management of your Kubernetes deployments.

What are the first steps to start using Werf and Nelm?

To get started with Werf and Nelm, follow these steps:

Install Werf:

Using Homebrew (macOS/Linux):
```
shCopy codebrew install werf
```

Using Script (Linux):

shCopy codecurl -L https://t.ly/werf | bash -s -- -b /usr/local/bin

Using Docker:

shCopy codedocker pull ghcr.io/werf/werf:latest

Initialize a Werf project:
- Navigate to your project directory:
```
shCopy codecd /path/to/your/project
```
- Initialize Werf in your project:
```
shCopy codewerf init
```
- This command will create a werf.yaml configuration file and a .werf directory.
Configure Werf:
- Edit the werf.yaml file to define your project’s build, deploy, and clean-up configurations.
- Set up your Docker images and Kubernetes deployment configurations within this file.

Build and Deploy:

Build your project using Werf:
```
shCopy codewerf build
```

Deploy your application:

shCopy codewerf converge --repo <your-docker-registry>

Set Up CI/CD:
- Integrate Werf with your CI/CD pipeline (GitLab CI, GitHub Actions, Jenkins, etc.) to automate builds and deployments.

Nelm:

Install Nelm:
- Using pip:
```
shCopy codepip install nelm
```
Initialize a Nelm Project:
- Create a new directory for your Nelm project and navigate into it:
```
shCopy codemkdir my_nelm_project
cd my_nelm_project
```
- Initialize Nelm in your project:
```
shCopy codenelm init
```
Configure Nelm:
- Edit the nelm.yaml configuration file to set up your project details, including the data source, model configurations, and deployment settings.
Train and Deploy Models:
- Train your machine learning models using Nelm:
```
shCopy codenelm train
```
- Deploy your trained models:
```
shCopy codenelm deploy
```
Monitor and Manage:
- Use Nelm’s built-in tools to monitor model performance and manage versions.

By following these steps, you will have both Werf and Nelm set up and ready for use in your projects.