Major update introduces new features while maintaining Helm’s role in Kubernetes application management
Key Highlights
- Helm 4, the first major update in six years to the Kubernetes package manager, is now available, marking Helm’s 10th anniversary.
- This release simplifies and enhances the safety of deploying and managing applications at scale, addressing challenges such as CI/CD complexity, security, and multi-cluster operations.
- The target audience includes platform engineers, DevOps teams, Kubernetes administrators, open-source contributors, and enterprise users managing modern cloud-native infrastructure.
- Helm 4 was announced at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America 2025 in Atlanta and is available now. Maintainers will offer a technical deep dive and live demonstrations at Booth 8B in the Project Pavilion.
KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America – The Cloud Native Computing Foundation® (CNCF®), which builds sustainable ecosystems for cloud native software, today announced a major new release of Helm, coinciding with the project’s 10th anniversary. Released just weeks after its official anniversary, Helm version 4 marks the first major update to the Kubernetes package manager in six years.
Helm 4 arrives at a time when Kubernetes users are managing increasingly complex application deployments, often across multiple clusters and environments. According to the CNCF 2024 Annual Survey, 40% of users cite CI/CD complexity as a top challenge, and 37% report security as a key barrier to adoption. Helm 4 directly addresses these concerns with improvements in testing automation, chart signing, performance, and chart distribution—making it easier for teams to ship software faster and more securely at scale.
“Helm 4 is the result of ten years of community insight and real world deployment lessons,” said Chris Aniszczyk, CTO of CNCF. “As teams embrace cloud native scale, AI workloads, and platform engineering, Helm continues to deliver the reliability and flexibility they need to deploy applications with confidence.”
Improved SDK for developers building on Helm
Helm 4 improves the Software Development Kit (SDK) for developers looking to integrate Helm into their applications.
- Modern Go logging: Logging using current Go logging interfaces that enable support for multiple loggers.
- Embeddable Commands: The Helm commands can be directly embedded in other applications.
- Modern Kubernetes: Helm targets modern versions of Kubernetes with support for features like server-side apply.
Improved Plugin System
More powerful and portable plugins are enabled by the brand-new plugin system in Helm 4.
- Plugins through WebAssembly: Plugins can optionally be written in WASM, enabling portability across operating systems and architectures.
- Traditional plugins still work: Existing plugins and the design that enables them continue to work and enable extensibility of Helm.
Enablement of new chart features
Helm 4 enables future growth in chart (package) features without breaking backwards compatibility.
- Path to chart changes: Helm 4 lays the groundwork for new chart features to come during the life of Helm 4.
- Breaking changes without breaking users: New features can be breaking or substantial changes to charts without impacting users.
“We started Helm to make deploying applications on Kubernetes easier for developers and operators alike,” said Matt Butcher, co-creator of Helm. “A decade later, it’s incredible to see Helm continue to solve that same core problem—now with greater reach, scale, and community support than we ever imagined.”
Helm 4 retains the core interface and behavior familiar to current users, minimizing disruption for existing workflows while introducing meaningful upgrades for today’s Kubernetes environments. Its release aligns with Helm’s 10-year milestone, CNCF’s own 10-year anniversary, and the recent 10-year mark of Kubernetes—milestones that reflect the rapid growth and maturity of the cloud native ecosystem from early experimentation to powering mission-critical infrastructure.
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