Helm Plugins
Helmfile requires the Helm Diff CLI plugin for operations such as diff and apply. Declare it
under the Helmfile component's plugins key, alongside vars, rather than adding an installation
script or wrapper action:
diff is a built-in repository alias. Choose the pin required by the project; other plugins can use
their repository URL and version. Share declarations through component inheritance or top-level
helmfile.plugins in a stack manifest (including imported defaults). Plugin lists are resolved
in increasing precedence: type defaults, inherited base components, then the component itself.
They follow settings.list_merge_strategy (default: replace); plugins: [] clears inherited
plugins with the default strategy. Declare the helm and helmfile binaries through
dependencies.tools; see
atmos-toolchain for tool version configuration.
Normal atmos helmfile execution ensures the declared plugins and sets HELM_PLUGINS for the child
process. Explicit installation is useful for cache warming or troubleshooting:
For CI reuse, include the managed plugin directory in the existing Atmos ci.cache configuration.
It lives under the Atmos toolchain root by default; check toolchain.install_path when the project
overrides that root. Include plugin declarations in the cache key and separate caches by platform.
Warm the cache with the component-based command above, then restore it into each consumer job's
own directory. See atmos-cache for native cache configuration.
Installation retries, partial-install cleanup, and completed-install checks belong in the existing
pkg/helm/plugin installer. Use stack configuration and direct Atmos commands instead of shell
loops, custom downloaders, or plugin setup actions. Helm remains responsible for plugin hooks;
the installer does not infer plugin-specific executable or version commands.
Native components.helm uses the embedded Helm Diff Go library and needs no CLI plugin. See
atmos-helm when choosing between the two component types.
