# Install helmfile with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, zypper Deploy Kubernetes Helm Charts. Version 1.7.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-04. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:helmfile ``` ## Agent safety answer helmfile orchestrates Helm releases across environments and clusters. - **Credential access:** Reads kubeconfig, chart repository credentials, values files, and secrets references. - **Remote mutation:** Can apply, sync, and destroy multiple cluster releases. - **Publish/artifact risk:** Deploys application and infrastructure manifests to clusters. - **Recommended control:** Gate sync, apply, destroy, and secret-backed values access. - **Agent-use guidance:** Allow diff/template; require approval for cluster mutations or secret values. Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install helmfile ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install helmfile ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/helmfile/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add helmfile ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: helmfile from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#helmfile ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/he/helmfile/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S helmfile ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: helmfile from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install helmfile ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: helmfile from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ### Windows - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install main/helmfile ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/helmfile.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:helmfile - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.7.0 - **Source summary:** Deploy Kubernetes Helm Charts - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-07-04T15:12:35Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - helmfile (cli) - helmfile (alias) ## Dependencies - helm ## Build dependencies - go ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.7.0 - Package-manager updated: 2026-07-04 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/helmfile/helmfile - Upstream latest detected: v1.7.0 (current) ## Project history and usage Helmfile is a declarative state tool for Helm. Instead of running individual `helm` commands release by release, users write a `helmfile.yaml` that declares repositories, environments, values, and releases, then run Helmfile to diff, template, sync, or apply that desired state. ### Project history The original `roboll/helmfile` repository was created in 2016, during the Helm 2 era, around the practical problem of managing many Helm releases from version-controlled configuration. The project later moved under the `helmfile` GitHub organization, where the README and documentation describe it as a declarative specification for deploying Helm charts. Helmfile deliberately delegates chart operations to Helm instead of reimplementing Helm. Its documentation also calls out `helm-diff` as a normal companion dependency, which reflects the tool's role as orchestration around the Helm command-line workflow. The v1 proposal explains that Helmfile stayed conservative about breaking changes during the v0.x series despite semver's looser expectations for zero-major versions. Helmfile 1.0 turned that accumulated compatibility stance into an explicit stable line with a small set of documented breaking changes. ### Adoption history Helmfile spread among teams that wanted Git-tracked, repeatable Helm operations before or alongside fuller GitOps controllers. The project README lists production usage by organizations and systems such as GitLab, reddit, and Jenkins, and its installation notes point to package-manager distribution through Homebrew, pacman, Scoop, openSUSE packages, and other channels. Its adoption is tied to Helm's own ecosystem: Helmfile appeals when a cluster contains many Helm releases, multiple environments, secrets/value overlays, and CI jobs that need a single command to compute and apply the desired release set. ### How it is used A typical Helmfile repository contains one or more `helmfile.yaml` files with chart repositories, releases, values files, environment blocks, selectors, and sometimes Go-template fragments. Operators run commands such as `helmfile diff`, `helmfile template`, `helmfile sync`, or `helmfile apply` to review and converge cluster state. Helmfile is commonly used in CI/CD because the desired state file can be reviewed like source code while the actual install and upgrade behavior remains Helm behavior. It also supports larger layouts through release templates, conventional directory structure, modular states, and Kustomize integration. ### Why package nerds care Helmfile is interesting to package-manager people because it treats Helm charts as composable packages but adds a lockstep state layer above them. It is less a package format than a package transaction planner for many Helm releases. The tool occupies the space between raw Helm scripts and cluster-resident GitOps controllers: no controller has to be installed, yet the release graph, chart versions, and value overlays live in files that package managers and CI systems can fetch, diff, and cache. ### Timeline - 2016: The original `roboll/helmfile` repository was created. - 2022: The `helmfile/helmfile` organization repository was created for the project line used by the documentation. - 2024: A v1.0 release-candidate line appeared as part of the compatibility transition. - 2025: Helmfile v1.0.0 was published, with v1 mode becoming the default behavior. ### Related projects - Helm is Helmfile's execution backend for chart operations. - helm-diff is a documented companion plugin for previewing Helm release changes. - Kustomize and Argo CD appear in Helmfile documentation as adjacent workflows for rendering, composing, or consuming manifests. ### Sources - - - - - - - ## Security Notes infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal. - **Geiger risk:** orange / medium - infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal ## Configuration and credential file locations These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval. ## Configuration files - Unix: helmfile.yaml ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** helmfile - **Version Scheme:** 1 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - helmfile: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/he/helmfile/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - apk - helmfile - 1.1.8-r6: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: helmfile from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Declarative spec for deploying helm charts | https://helmfile.readthedocs.io/ - apk - helmfile-bash-completion - 1.1.8-r6: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: helmfile-bash-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Bash completions for helmfile | https://helmfile.readthedocs.io/ - apk - helmfile-doc - 1.1.8-r6: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: helmfile-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Declarative spec for deploying helm charts (documentation) | https://helmfile.readthedocs.io/ - apk - helmfile-fish-completion - 1.1.8-r6: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: helmfile-fish-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Fish completions for helmfile | https://helmfile.readthedocs.io/ - apk - helmfile-zsh-completion - 1.1.8-r6: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: helmfile-zsh-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Zsh completions for helmfile | https://helmfile.readthedocs.io/ - pacman - helmfile - 1.5.2-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: helmfile from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Manage multiple helm charts with a single helmfile | https://github.com/helmfile/helmfile - zypper - helmfile - 1.5.2-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: helmfile from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Deploy Kubernetes Helm Charts | https://github.com/helmfile/helmfile - zypper - helmfile-bash-completion - 1.5.2-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: helmfile-bash-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Bash Completion for helmfile | https://github.com/helmfile/helmfile - zypper - helmfile-fish-completion - 1.5.2-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: helmfile-fish-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Fish Completion for helmfile | https://github.com/helmfile/helmfile - zypper - helmfile-zsh-completion - 1.5.2-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: helmfile-zsh-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Zsh Completion for helmfile | https://github.com/helmfile/helmfile - MacPorts - helmfile: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/helmfile/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Scoop - main/helmfile: normalized package name match | Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/helmfile.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Cloud CLI packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/cloud-clis/) - Belongs to a cloud or infrastructure command family. - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [helm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/helm/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [helmsman](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/helmsman/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, deployment, devops, helm. - [nelm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nelm/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, deployment, helm, kubernetes. - [krane](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/krane/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, deployment, kubernetes. - [chaoskube](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/chaoskube/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, helm, kubernetes. - [cozyhr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cozyhr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, helm, kubernetes. - [devspace](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/devspace/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, devops, kubernetes. - [fleet-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fleet-cli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, helm, kubernetes. - [reckoner](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/reckoner/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: charts, cli, cloud, cloud-infrastructure, helm. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/helmfile.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/helmfile.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph - curated agent safety answer