install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install helm-docs

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#helm-docs

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/he/helm-docs/package.nix · source: api.github.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install helm-docs

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · helm-docs · source: download.opensuse.org

Windows

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install main/helm-docs

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/helm-docs.json · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Tool for automatically generating markdown documentation for helm charts

Project links

Commands and aliases

helm-docs

history

Project history and usage

helm-docs is a Go command-line tool that auto-generates Markdown documentation from Helm charts. Its README describes generated files that include chart metadata and tables of values, defaults, and descriptions parsed from comments.

The project sits in the practical layer around Helm: once charts became a common packaging format for Kubernetes applications, teams needed generated, reviewable README files that stayed synchronized with `Chart.yaml`, `values.yaml`, and template conventions.

Project history

The public repository was created in September 2018, during the period when Helm charts were becoming a standard way to distribute Kubernetes applications. GitHub release metadata shows a v0.1.0 release in July 2019.

The tool evolved around Go templates and chart parsing. Its default workflow searches recursively for `Chart.yaml`, reads values files and chart metadata, and renders Markdown through either a default internal template or user-supplied `README.md.gotmpl` files.

Adoption history

helm-docs became part of chart-authoring workflows because it is easy to run locally, in containers, and as a pre-commit hook. The README includes pre-commit hook configurations and direct binary usage for regenerating READMEs.

The README documents Homebrew, Scoop, mise, source builds, and container usage, while the supplied package metadata also lists Homebrew, Nix, Scoop, and openSUSE packaging.

How it is used

A chart maintainer runs `helm-docs` in a repository, optionally with `--chart-search-root`, `--template-files`, or `--dry-run`. The tool finds charts, parses metadata and values, and writes generated Markdown back into chart README files.

Comment conventions in `values.yaml` let maintainers document fields next to the defaults they control. That makes the generated table useful for reviewers and users who need to understand chart configuration without reading every template.

Why package nerds care

helm-docs is package-nerd glue: it turns Helm charts from installable bundles into better documented packages. In chart repositories with many values, generated documentation prevents README drift and makes package review less painful.

It is also a good example of a packaging-adjacent CLI that belongs in package managers because teams run it in hooks, CI, release pipelines, and local chart authoring environments.

Timeline

2018: Public GitHub repository created.
2019: v0.1.0 release published.
2019: Early 0.x releases iterate on generated chart documentation.
2020s: README documents Homebrew, Scoop, mise, source, container, and pre-commit workflows.

Related projects

Helm is the chart format and command-line ecosystem that helm-docs documents.
Go templates drive the Markdown rendering model.
pre-commit is a common workflow integration documented by the project.
Chart.yaml, values.yaml, and README.md.gotmpl are the main chart files touched by the tool.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 10 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`helm-docs`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version1.14.2

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv1.14.2

https://github.com/norwoodj/helm-docs

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:helm-docs
Version	1.14.2
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/helm-docs
Homepage	https://github.com/norwoodj/helm-docs
Repository	https://github.com/norwoodj/helm-docs
Upstream docs	https://github.com/norwoodj/helm-docs#readme
License	GPL-3.0-or-later
Source archive	https://github.com/norwoodj/helm-docs/archive/refs/tags/v1.14.2.tar.gz
Build dependencies	go
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	helm-docs
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

helm-docs

nix profile install nixpkgs#helm-docs

normalized package name match
Matched by: Helm Docs

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/he/helm-docs/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

zypper95%

helm-docs 1.14.2-1.6

A tool for automatically generating markdown documentation for helm charts

https://github.com/norwoodj/helm-docs

sudo zypper install helm-docs

License: GPL-3.0-only
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: helm-docs
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Helm Docs

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: helm-docs from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

Scoop95%

main/helm-docs

scoop install main/helm-docs

normalized package name match
Matched by: Helm Docs

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/helm-docs.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/helm-docs.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install helm-docs with Homebrew, Nix, scoop, zypper