Purpose

These example instsructions explain how you would customise one particular dependant Helm chart and publish a newer version to GitHub pages. Instructions assume GitHub pages are already configured for your repo; see the reference section below

Start services

In order to start the alfresco-repository service, we need to make a valid license available in the namespace. A secret containing the license needs to be created:

ACS_NAMESPACE=hmpps-delius-alfrsco-poc
kubectl create secret generic alfresco-license \
  --namespace $ACS_NAMESPACE \
  --from-file /example/path/to/license/file.lic

Next We will need to ensure all services are up and running. Start k8s services by executing helm command (Helm will complain if a random secret is not created)

cd hmpps-delius-alfresco-poc/alfresco-content-services
export SECRET=$(openssl rand -base64 20)
export BUCKET_NAME=$(awk '{print substr($0, 0)}' <<< $(kubectl get secrets s3-bucket-output -o jsonpath='{.data.BUCKET_NAME}' | base64 -d))
helm install alfresco-content-services . --values=./values.yaml \
--set s3connector.config.bucketName=$BUCKET_NAME \
--set global.tracking.sharedsecret=$SECRET

Check the chart file for dependent charts and pull the required version

For the purpose of this demo, we will select the following service from the Chart.yaml file

- condition: alfresco-sync-service.enabled
  name: alfresco-sync-service
  repository: https://alfresco.github.io/alfresco-helm-charts/
  version: 4.1.0

1. Delete existing tar file for the sync service. There will be an error pulling the chart otherwise
rm -rf charts/alfresco-sync-service-4.1.0.tgz

2. Pull a particular version of `alfresco-sync-service` chart
helm pull alfresco-sync-service --repo  https://alfresco.github.io/alfresco-helm-charts --version 4.1.0 -d charts --untar

3. The above command will pull a tar file called `charts/alfresco-sync-service-4.1.0.tgz` and then untar it into a directory called `alfresco-sync-service`. Delete the tar file
rm -rf charts/alfresco-sync-service-4.1.0.tgz

Modify charts

1. Change the chart version in the newly pulled chart. For example change is from 4.1.0 to 4.1.1
2. Make your changes and then test them by upgrading Helm release

   - export SECRET=$(awk '{print substr($0, 19)}' <<< $(kubectl get secrets alfresco-content-services-alfresco-repository-properties-secret -o jsonpath='{.data.alfresco-global\.properties}' | base64 -d))
   - export BUCKET_NAME=$(awk '{print substr($0, 0)}' <<< $(kubectl get secrets s3-bucket-output -o jsonpath='{.data.BUCKET_NAME}' | base64 -d))
   - helm upgrade alfresco-content-services . --values=./values.yaml --set s3connector.config.bucketName=$BUCKET_NAME --set global.tracking.sharedsecret=$SECRET
   - NOTE: For the release upgrade, use the existing secret. You will otherwise have to restart pods consuming those secrets
   

3. Once satisfied with your changes, create a package and add it to the docs directory
   • "helm package charts/alfresco-sync-service -d ../docs"
4. Create / update an index file in docs directory
   • "helm repo index ../docs --url https://ministryofjustice.github.io/hmpps-delius-alfresco-poc"

Update the lock file and commit changes

Locate the Chart.yaml file and modify the repository URL and version. It should now look like the code snippet below after the change:

- condition: alfresco-sync-service.enabled
  name: alfresco-sync-service
  repository: https://ministryofjustice.github.io/hmpps-delius-alfresco-poc/
  version: 4.1.1

1. Delete charts/alfresco-sync-service directory as it is no longer needed
2. Push your changes / docs directory to the feature branch
3. Update your GitHub pages settings so that the source branch is pointing to your feature branch
4. Update helm dependencies which will pull the updated charts and will update the lock file
   • helm dependency update .
5. Push the lock file and charts dirctory to the feature branch and get merge approval
6. Merge into main branch
7. Update your GitHub pages settings so that the source branch is pointing to your main branch
8. Upgrade the helm release for the changes to be updated in kubernetes cluster

   - export SECRET=$(awk '{print substr($0, 19)}' <<< $(kubectl get secrets alfresco-content-services-alfresco-repository-properties-secret -o jsonpath='{.data.alfresco-global\.properties}' | base64 -d))
   - helm upgrade alfresco-content-services . --values=./values.yaml --set global.tracking.sharedsecret=$SECRET
   - NOTE: For the release upgrade, use the existing secret. You will otherwise have to restart pods consuming those secrets
   

Alternatively, pull a particular chart either directly from repository URL or by adding it in the local repo

1. Pull a chart with a particular version direcly from the GitHub pages

• helm pull alfresco-sync-service --repo https://ministryofjustice.github.io/hmpps-delius-alfresco-poc/ --version 4.1.1 -d charts --untar

2. Or add the updated chart in a local helm repo

helm repo add alfresco-sync-service https://ministryofjustice.github.io/hmpps-delius-alfresco-poc/

helm search repo alfresco-sync-service
NAME                                            CHART VERSION   APP VERSION     DESCRIPTION
alfresco-sync-service/alfresco-sync-service     4.1.1           3.9.0           Alfresco Sync Service

References to various docs that explain how to set up GitHub pages and how to publish Helm charts

• The Chart Repository Guide
• Chart Releaser Action to Automate GitHub Page Charts
• Example on how to publish a chart on GitHub pages