Helm Chart CLI

What is Helm Chart CLI about?

Helm Chart CLI enables AI assistants to control Helm through plain language commands. It wraps the full Helm functionality—chart creation, linting, packaging, installation, upgrades, repository handling, and more—into callable tools that can be invoked by conversational agents.

How to use Helm Chart CLI?

1. Prerequisites: Python 3.8+, Docker (optional), and the Helm CLI installed on the host.
2. Docker deployment

   git clone https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers.git
   cd src/helm
   docker build -t mcp-helm .
   docker run --rm -i mcp-helm
   

3. Manual installation

   git clone https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers.git
   cd src/helm
   uv venv
   source .venv/Scripts/Activate.ps1   # on Windows PowerShell
   uv pip install -e .
   mcp-server-helm
   

4. Integration with Claude Desktop – add an entry to claude_desktop_config.json using either uvx or Docker as shown in the README.

Key Features

• Full Helm command coverage: chart creation, linting, packaging, templating, dependency management, release lifecycle (install, upgrade, rollback, uninstall), history, status, tests.
• Repository management: add, list, remove, update, search charts across Helm repos and the Helm Hub.
• Registry support: login/logout, push/pull OCI charts.
• Plugin handling: install, list, uninstall, update Helm plugins.
• Environment utilities: view Helm environment and version.
• Auto‑completion generation for bash, fish, PowerShell, and zsh.
• Dockerized and pip‑installable for flexible deployment.

Use Cases

• AI‑driven DevOps assistants that can provision services on a Kubernetes cluster by simply describing the desired state.
• Chat‑based troubleshooting where a user asks the assistant to list releases, view manifests, or roll back a failing deployment.
• Automated CI/CD pipelines that invoke the server to manage chart repositories, publish new chart versions, or run helm tests.
• Self‑service platforms allowing non‑technical users to request application installations through natural language interfaces.

FAQ

Q: Do I need Helm installed locally? A: Yes, the Helm CLI must be present on the host where the MCP server runs because the server calls the underlying Helm binary.

Q: Can I run the server without Docker? A: Absolutely. The server can be installed in a Python virtual environment using uv or pip and started with mcp-server-helm.

Q: Which operating systems are supported? A: Any OS that can run Python 3.8+ and the Helm CLI – Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Q: How do I expose the server to an AI assistant? A: Configure the assistant’s MCP client to point to the server’s executable command (mcp-server-helm) as described in the Claude Desktop configuration examples.

Q: Is the project open‑source? A: Yes, it is released under the MIT License, permitting free use, modification, and distribution.

Overview

Helm MCP provides a bridge between AI assistants and the Helm package manager for Kubernetes. It allows AI assistants to interact with Helm through natural language requests, executing commands like installing charts, managing repositories, and more.

Claude Desktop

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/706184c4-9569-4977-8194-d8b0a6e8fa26

Inspector

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/4347e851-2791-4a07-b829-f171376fe8d7

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8+
• Docker (for containerized deployment)
• Helm CLI installed

Using Docker

Build and run the Docker container:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers.git
cd src/helm

# Build the Docker image
docker build -t mcp-helm .

Manual Installation

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers.git
cd src/helm

# Install dependencies
uv venv
source .venv/Scripts/Activate.ps1
uv pip install -e .

# Run the server
mcp-server-helm

Tools

Here are the available tools in the Helm MCP server:

helm_completion

Generate autocompletion scripts for various shells.

• Parameters:
  • shell (required): The shell to generate the completion script for. Options are "bash", "fish", "powershell", "zsh".
• Example:

  helm_completion(shell="bash")
  

Chart Creation and Management

helm_create

Create a new chart with the given name.

• Parameters:
  • name (required): The name of the chart to create.
  • starter (optional): The name of the starter chart to use.
• Example:

  helm_create(name="mychart")
  

helm_lint

Runs a series of tests to verify that the chart is well-formed.

• Parameters:
  • chart_path (required): Path to the chart to lint.
  • values_file (optional): Path to values file.
  • set_values (optional): Set values on the command line (can specify multiple).
• Example:

  helm_lint(chart_path="./mychart")
  

helm_package

Packages a chart into a chart archive.

• Parameters:
  • chart_path (required): Path to the chart directory.
  • destination (optional): Location to write the chart.
  • app_version (optional): Set the appVersion on the chart.
  • version (optional): Set the version on the chart.
  • dependency_update (optional): Update dependencies before packaging.
• Example:

  helm_package(chart_path="./mychart")
  

helm_template

Renders chart templates locally and displays the output.

• Parameters:
  • chart (required): Chart name.
  • release_name (optional): Release name.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
  • values_file (optional): Values file.
  • set_values (optional): Set values.
  • api_versions (optional): Kubernetes API versions.
  • kube_version (optional): Kubernetes version.
• Example:

  helm_template(chart="./mychart", release_name="my-release")
  

Dependency Management

helm_dependency_build

Builds the chart's dependencies.

• Parameters:
  • chart_path (required): Path to the chart.
• Example:

  helm_dependency_build(chart_path="./mychart")
  

helm_dependency_list

Lists the dependencies for the given chart.

• Parameters:
  • chart_path (required): Path to the chart.
• Example:

  helm_dependency_list(chart_path="./mychart")
  

helm_dependency_update

Updates the chart's dependencies.

• Parameters:
  • chart_path (required): Path to the chart.
• Example:

  helm_dependency_update(chart_path="./mychart")
  

Environment

helm_env

Shows Helm's environment information.

• Parameters: None
• Example:

  helm_env()
  

helm_version

Shows the Helm version information.

• Parameters: None
• Example:

  helm_version()
  

Release Management

helm_install

Installs a chart.

• Parameters:
  • chart (required): Chart name.
  • release_name (optional): Release name.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
  • values_file (optional): Values file.
  • set_values (optional): Set values.
  • description (optional): Add a custom description.
  • wait (optional): Wait until all resources are ready.
  • atomic (optional): If set, installation rollback on failure.
  • timeout (optional): Time to wait for any operation to complete.
• Example:

  helm_install(chart="bitnami/nginx", release_name="my-nginx")
  

helm_uninstall

Uninstalls a release.

• Parameters:
  • release_name (required): Release name.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
  • keep_history (optional): Remove the release but keep the history.
  • no_hooks (optional): Prevent hooks from running during uninstallation.
• Example:

  helm_uninstall(release_name="my-nginx")
  

helm_upgrade

Upgrades a release.

• Parameters:
  • release_name (required): Release name.
  • chart (required): Chart name.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
  • values_file (optional): Values file.
  • set_values (optional): Set values.
  • install (optional): Install if release doesn't exist.
  • force (optional): Force resource updates.
  • wait (optional): Wait until all resources are ready.
  • atomic (optional): If set, upgrade rollback on failure.
  • timeout (optional): Time to wait for any operation to complete.
• Example:

  helm_upgrade(release_name="my-nginx", chart="bitnami/nginx", set_values={"replicaCount": "3"})
  

helm_rollback

Rolls back a release to a previous revision.

• Parameters:
  • release_name (required): Release name.
  • revision (optional): Revision number.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
  • wait (optional): Wait until all resources are ready.
  • force (optional): Force resource updates.
  • timeout (optional): Time to wait for any operation to complete.
• Example:

  helm_rollback(release_name="my-nginx", revision=1)
  

helm_list

Lists releases.

• Parameters:
  • all_namespaces (optional): List releases across all namespaces.
  • filter_ (optional): Filter by regex.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
  • deployed (optional): Show deployed releases.
  • failed (optional): Show failed releases.
  • uninstalled (optional): Show uninstalled releases.
• Example:

  helm_list()
  

helm_status

Displays the status of the named release.

• Parameters:
  • release_name (required): Release name.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
  • revision (optional): Revision number.
• Example:

  helm_status(release_name="my-nginx")
  

helm_history

Gets the release history.

• Parameters:
  • release_name (required): Release name.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
  • max_ (optional): Maximum number of revisions to include.
• Example:

  helm_history(release_name="my-nginx")
  

helm_test

Runs tests for a release.

• Parameters:
  • release_name (required): Release name.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
  • filter_ (optional): Filter tests by name.
  • timeout (optional): Time to wait for any operation to complete.
• Example:

  helm_test(release_name="my-nginx")
  

Release Information

helm_get_all

Gets all information about a release.

• Parameters:
  • release_name (required): Release name.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
• Example:

  helm_get_all(release_name="my-nginx")
  

helm_get_hooks

Gets the hooks for a release.

• Parameters:
  • release_name (required): Release name.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
• Example:

  helm_get_hooks(release_name="my-nginx")
  

helm_get_manifest

Gets the manifest for a release.

• Parameters:
  • release_name (required): Release name.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
• Example:

  helm_get_manifest(release_name="my-nginx")
  

helm_get_metadata

Gets the metadata for a release.

• Parameters:
  • release_name (required): Release name.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
• Example:

  helm_get_metadata(release_name="my-nginx")
  

helm_get_notes

Gets the notes for a release.

• Parameters:
  • release_name (required): Release name.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
• Example:

  helm_get_notes(release_name="my-nginx")
  

helm_get_values

Gets the values for a release.

• Parameters:
  • release_name (required): Release name.
  • namespace (optional): Namespace.
  • all_values (optional): Get all values (user-supplied values and defaults).
• Example:

  helm_get_values(release_name="my-nginx", all_values=true)
  

Repository Management

helm_repo_add

Adds a chart repository.

• Parameters:
  • name (required): Name of the repository.
  • url (required): URL of the repository.
  • username (optional): Username for repository.
  • password (optional): Password for repository.
  • pass_credentials (optional): Pass credentials to all domains.
• Example:

  helm_repo_add(name="bitnami", url="https://charts.bitnami.com/bitnami")
  

helm_repo_index

Generates an index file for a chart repository.

• Parameters:
  • directory (required): Directory containing packaged charts.
  • url (optional): URL of the repository.
  • merge (optional): Merge the generated index with the given index.
• Example:

  helm_repo_index(directory="./charts")
  

helm_repo_list

Lists chart repositories.

• Parameters: None
• Example:

  helm_repo_list()
  

helm_repo_remove

Removes a chart repository.

• Parameters:
  • name (required): Name of the repository.
• Example:

  helm_repo_remove(name="bitnami")
  

helm_repo_update

Updates chart repositories.

• Parameters: None
• Example:

  helm_repo_update()
  

helm_search_repo

Searches repositories for a keyword in charts.

• Parameters:
  • keyword (required): Search term.
  • regexp (optional): Use regular expressions for searching.
  • version (optional): Search using semantic version constraints.
  • versions (optional): Show all versions, not just the latest.
• Example:

  helm_search_repo(keyword="nginx")
  

helm_search_hub

Searches the Helm Hub for a keyword in charts.

• Parameters:
  • keyword (required): Search term.
  • max_results (optional): Maximum number of results to return.
  • repo_url (optional): Specific repo URL to search.
• Example:

  helm_search_hub(keyword="nginx")
  

Registry Management

helm_registry_login

Logs in to a registry.

• Parameters:
  • registry_url (required): Registry URL to authenticate with.
  • username (required): Username for registry.
  • password (required): Password for registry.
  • insecure (optional): Allow connections to TLS registry without certs.
• Example:

  helm_registry_login(registry_url="registry.example.com", username="user", password="pass123")
  

helm_registry_logout

Logs out from a registry.

• Parameters:
  • registry_url (required): Registry URL to logout from.
• Example:

  helm_registry_logout(registry_url="registry.example.com")
  

helm_push

Pushes a chart to a registry.

• Parameters:
  • chart_path (required): Path to the chart to push.
  • registry_url (required): Registry URL to push to.
  • insecure (optional): Allow connections to TLS registry without certs.
  • plain_http (optional): Use plain HTTP.
  • force (optional): Force push even if the chart already exists.
• Example:

  helm_push(chart_path="./mychart-1.0.0.tgz", registry_url="oci://registry.example.com/charts")
  

helm_pull

Downloads a chart from a repository.

• Parameters:
  • chart (required): Chart name.
  • repo (optional): Repository name.
  • version (optional): Chart version.
  • destination (optional): Directory to download to.
  • untar (optional): If set, untar the chart after downloading.
  • verify (optional): Verify the package against its signature.
  • keyring (optional): Path to the keyring containing public keys.
• Example:

  helm_pull(chart="nginx", repo="bitnami", version="13.2.0")
  

Chart Information

helm_show_all

Shows all information of a chart.

• Parameters:
  • chart (required): Chart name.
  • repo (optional): Repository name.
  • version (optional): Chart version.
• Example:

  helm_show_all(chart="nginx", repo="bitnami")
  

helm_show_chart

Shows the chart's definition.

• Parameters:
  • chart (required): Chart name.
  • repo (optional): Repository name.
  • version (optional): Chart version.
• Example:

  helm_show_chart(chart="nginx", repo="bitnami")
  

helm_show_crds

Shows the chart's CRDs.

• Parameters:
  • chart (required): Chart name.
  • repo (optional): Repository name.
  • version (optional): Chart version.
• Example:

  helm_show_crds(chart="prometheus-operator", repo="prometheus-community")
  

helm_show_readme

Shows the chart's README.

• Parameters:
  • chart (required): Chart name.
  • repo (optional): Repository name.
  • version (optional): Chart version.
• Example:

  helm_show_readme(chart="nginx", repo="bitnami")
  

helm_show_values

Shows the chart's values.

• Parameters:
  • chart (required): Chart name.
  • repo (optional): Repository name.
  • version (optional): Chart version.
• Example:

  helm_show_values(chart="nginx", repo="bitnami")
  

Plugin Management

helm_plugin_install

Installs a Helm plugin.

• Parameters:
  • plugin_url (required): URL to the plugin.
  • version (optional): Version of the plugin.
• Example:

  helm_plugin_install(plugin_url="https://github.com/chartmuseum/helm-push")
  

helm_plugin_list

Lists Helm plugins.

• Parameters: None
• Example:

  helm_plugin_list()
  

helm_plugin_uninstall

Uninstalls a Helm plugin.

• Parameters:
  • plugin_name (required): Name of the plugin.
• Example:

  helm_plugin_uninstall(plugin_name="push")
  

helm_plugin_update

Updates a Helm plugin.

• Parameters:
  • plugin_name (required): Name of the plugin.
• Example:

  helm_plugin_update(plugin_name="push")
  

Verification

helm_verify

Verifies that a chart at the given path has been signed and is valid.

• Parameters:
  • path (required): Path to the chart file.
  • keyring (optional): Path to the keyring containing public keys.
• Example:

  helm_verify(path="./mychart-1.0.0.tgz")
  

Configuration

Usage with Claude Desktop

Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json:

"mcpServers": {
  "helm": {
    "command": "uvx",
    "args": ["mcp-server-helm"]
  }
}

"mcpServers": {
  "helm": {
    "command": "docker",
    "args": ["run", "--rm", "-i", "mcp/helm"]
  }
}

Inspector

# run the inspector against the mcp-server-helm
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector uvx mcp-server-helm

# Run the inspector against the mcp-config.json
npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/inspector
cp mcp-config.json.example mcp-config.json
nano mcp-config.json # Edit the values
mcp-inspector --config mcp-config.json --server my-python-server

Build

Docker build:

cd src/helm
docker build -t mcp/helm .

License

This MCP server is licensed under the MIT License. This means you are free to use, modify, and distribute the software, subject to the terms and conditions of the MIT License. For more details, please see the LICENSE file in the project repository.