Helm vs Tilt: What are the differences?

Introduction

In the world of Kubernetes, both Helm and Tilt are popular tools that aim to simplify and streamline the application development and deployment processes. However, there are several key differences between the two that are worth exploring.

1. Packaging and Deployment: Helm is primarily focused on providing a package manager for Kubernetes applications. It allows developers to create and share reusable charts that contain all the necessary resources required to deploy and manage an application. Tilt, on the other hand, focuses on providing a development workflow tool that automatically rebuilds and redeploys the application whenever there are changes in the code or configuration.

2. Configuration Management: Helm uses the concept of values and templates to manage the configuration of Kubernetes deployments. It allows developers to define customizable values that can be overridden during the deployment process. Tilt, on the other hand, takes a different approach by using a combination of Kubernetes resource files and a configuration file called tiltfile to define the desired state of the application.

3. Developer Experience: Helm provides a command-line interface (CLI) that allows developers to easily manage and deploy applications using Helm charts. It also has a web-based user interface called the Helm Dashboard that provides a graphical interface for managing charts and releases. Tilt, on the other hand, provides a command-line interface that integrates with development tools like IDEs and text editors to provide a seamless development experience.

4. Real-time Feedback: Tilt focuses on providing real-time feedback during development by automatically rebuilding and redeploying the application whenever there are changes in the code or configuration. It also provides a web-based interface that shows the live logs and status of the application. Helm, on the other hand, requires developers to manually run commands to deploy or upgrade the application and does not provide real-time feedback during development.

5. Use Case: Helm is best suited for managing complex deployments with a large number of Kubernetes resources. It provides a declarative way to define the desired state of the application and manages the deployment process accordingly. Tilt, on the other hand, is more suitable for local development and debugging workflows where developers need quick feedback on their changes before pushing them to production.

6. Community Support: Helm has a vibrant and active community with a large number of charts available for various popular applications. It has been widely adopted and is supported by major cloud providers like AWS and Google Cloud. Tilt, on the other hand, is relatively newer and has a smaller community compared to Helm. However, it has been gaining popularity among developers due to its focus on improving the local development experience.

In summary, Helm is a package manager for Kubernetes applications that provides a declarative way to manage complex deployments, while Tilt is a development workflow tool that focuses on providing real-time feedback during local development and debugging. Both tools have their unique strengths and are suited for different stages of the application lifecycle.