# Install nelm with Homebrew, Nix, zypper Kubernetes deployment tool that manages and deploys Helm Charts. Version 1.25.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-23. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:nelm ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install nelm ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#nelm ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ne/nelm/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install nelm ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: nelm from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:nelm - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.25.2 - **Source summary:** Kubernetes deployment tool that manages and deploys Helm Charts - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** Apache-2.0 - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-23T12:54:13Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - nelm (cli) - nelm (alias) ## 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: 1.25.2 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-23 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/werf/nelm - Upstream latest detected: v1.25.2 (current) ## Project history and usage Nelm is werf's Helm-compatible Kubernetes deployment engine and standalone CLI. It manages Helm charts and releases while adding features such as Server-Side Apply, plan-like previews, improved CRD handling, secrets management, resource ordering, and more detailed deployment tracking. ### Project history The Nelm repository was created on 2023-12-29. The werf team had already introduced the new deployment engine experimentally in werf v1.2.234 on 2023-05-25, then named it Nelm in a 2024-01-30 update and said they planned to make it available as a standalone CLI. The werf blog says the separate Nelm project began at the end of December 2023 because some users wanted the deployment part of werf without image building and cleanup. The same post says Nelm 1.0 made that Helm-chart-compatible deployment engine available as an open-source CLI. ### Adoption history Nelm's adoption story is anchored in werf. On 2024-04-29, werf announced v2.0 with Nelm as the default and only deployment engine, while maintaining backward compatibility with Helm charts so users generally did not need to change charts to keep deploying. The Nelm README says it is production-ready because, as werf's deployment engine, it had been battle-tested across thousands of projects for years. The GitHub API showed 1,089 stars and 28 forks on 2026-07-01, and Homebrew showed 680 installs over 365 days, 91 over 90 days, and 59 over 30 days when checked the same day. ### How it is used Users install `nelm` to deploy local Helm-compatible charts to Kubernetes, especially when they want Helm chart compatibility plus stronger deployment behavior: Server-Side Apply, resource plan output, CRD upgrade handling, secret support, resource readiness tracking, and detailed logs/events during deployment. Package nerds evaluate Nelm as a Helm alternative rather than a chart format replacement. A practical migration path is attractive because it preserves Helm charts and releases while swapping the deployment engine underneath, similar to how werf v2 moved its users onto Nelm by default. ### Why package nerds care Nelm is significant because it is a rare attempt to improve Helm deployment semantics while staying compatible with Helm charts and releases. For Kubernetes packaging people, that places it in the high-friction zone between ubiquitous Helm chart packaging and the operational needs of safer, more observable deploys. ### Timeline - 2023-05-25: werf announced an experimental new deployment engine in v1.2.234. - 2023-12-29: Public Nelm GitHub repository created. - 2024-01-30: werf maintainers identified the new engine's official name as Nelm and planned a standalone CLI. - 2024-04-29: werf v2.0 made Nelm the default and only deployment engine. - 2025-08-12: Nelm maintainers summarized features added across v1.1.0 through v1.11.0. - 2026-07-01: Homebrew formula stable version observed as 1.25.2. ### Related projects - werf - Helm - Kubernetes - Server-Side Apply ### Sources - - - - - - - ## Security Notes infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal. - **Geiger risk:** orange / medium - infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** nelm - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **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 - nelm: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ne/nelm/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - zypper - nelm - 1.23.2-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: nelm from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Helm 3 alternative | https://github.com/werf/nelm - zypper - nelm-bash-completion - 1.23.2-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: nelm-bash-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Bash Completion for nelm | https://github.com/werf/nelm - zypper - nelm-fish-completion - 1.23.2-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: nelm-fish-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Fish Completion for nelm | https://github.com/werf/nelm - zypper - nelm-zsh-completion - 1.23.2-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: nelm-zsh-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Zsh Completion for nelm | https://github.com/werf/nelm ## 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. - [go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [helmfile](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/helmfile/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, deployment, helm, kubernetes. - [helmsman](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/helmsman/) - 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. - [cozyhr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cozyhr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, gitops, helm, kubernetes. - [fleet-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fleet-cli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, gitops, helm, kubernetes. - [helm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/helm/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, deployment, helm-charts, kubernetes. - [chaoskube](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/chaoskube/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, helm, kubernetes. - [glasskube](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/glasskube/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, gitops, kubernetes. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/nelm.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/nelm.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - 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