[AUDIT] Install NGINX Ingress Controller with Helm

[travisamartin]

Summary

This issue tracks an audit of the following documentation page:

Install NGINX Ingress Controller with Helm
https://docs.nginx.com/nginx-ingress-controller/install/helm/

This doc has a satisfaction score of 3.59 out of 7 based on 17 responses, placing it in the bottom tier of NIC installation content. Internal stakeholders have raised concerns about the complexity of the current instructions and the friction they introduce for new users.

Key issues include:

• Assumes users have already built and pushed the nginx-plus-ingress image to a private registry, rather than pulling from the F5 registry
• Requires users to locate license secret instructions on a different page
• Scatters essential setup steps across multiple sections, instead of providing a direct, consolidated install flow

As a solution, contributors have proposed adding a Quick Start section for NIC Plus with a minimal three-step install:

1. Create the F5 registry secret:

   kubectl create secret docker-registry regcred \
     --docker-server=private-registry.nginx.com \
     --docker-username=$(cat license.jwt) \
     --docker-password=none

2. Create the NGINX Plus license secret:

   kubectl create secret generic nplus-license --from-file license.jwt

3. Deploy NIC using Helm:

   helm install my-release oci://ghcr.io/nginx/charts/nginx-ingress \
     --version 2.3.1 \
     --set controller.image.repository=private-registry.nginx.com/nginx-ic/nginx-plus-ingress \
     --set controller.image.tag=5.2.1 \
     --set controller.nginxplus=true \
     --set controller.serviceAccount.imagePullSecretName=regcred \
     --set controller.mgmt.licenseTokenSecretName=nplus-license

This doc has gained increased visibility due to the Ingress NGINX retirement announcement, making clarity and ease of use more important than ever.

Metrics (current)

• Lifetime average: 3.59 / 7
• Number of responses: 17

Actions

• Run an end-to-end test to confirm the workflow works as documented
• Identify missing context or unclear guidance in command usage
• Make sure prerequisites, steps, and callouts are clear and complete
• Flag instructions that could confuse users or lead to errors
• Add a clear "Quick Start" section with the three-step flow shown above
• Edit the page to match the NGINX style guide reading level (8th–9th grade)
• Update the doc catalog for this page and its includes with the reviewed-on date
• Monitor satisfaction scores after updates are published

Priority

P2
This doc is a high-visibility install guide with onboarding impact and increased relevance following the Ingress NGINX retirement.

Which product or products does this problem relate to?

NGINX Ingress Controller

If necessary, explain any additional steps to reproduce the problem.

No response

What is the expected or desired behaviour?

No response

Is this problem specific to a particular platform or software version?

No response

Any additional information

No response