Open-Source DevOps · helm

chart-releaser-action

chart-releaser-action is a GitHub Action that automates publishing Helm charts as self-hosted repositories on GitHub Pages. It detects new chart versions, creates GitHub releases, packages artifacts, and maintains an index.yaml file automatically.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/helm/chart-releaser-action

664

GitHub stars

220

Forks

Shell

Primary language

Apache-2.0

License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.

Field	Value
Repository	helm/chart-releaser-action
Owner	helm
Primary language	Shell
License	Apache-2.0 — OSI-approved
Stars	664
Forks	220
Open issues	79
Latest release	v1.7.0 (2025-01-20)
Last updated	2026-01-22
Source	https://github.com/helm/chart-releaser-action

What chart-releaser-action is

A Shell-based GitHub Action wrapping the helm/chart-releaser CLI tool. It integrates into CI/CD workflows to detect chart version changes, package charts, push releases to GitHub, and generate Helm repository metadata on a gh-pages branch.

Quickstart

Get the chart-releaser-action source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/helm/chart-releaser-action.git2cd chart-releaser-action3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

Need it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.

Best use cases

Self-hosted Helm repository on GitHub Pages

Publish internal or open-source Helm charts without external infrastructure. Leverages GitHub Pages for chart hosting and GitHub releases for versioned artifacts.

Automated chart release pipelines

Integrate chart versioning and release workflows into existing GitHub Actions CI/CD. Automatically detect version bumps and create corresponding releases without manual intervention.

Kubernetes package distribution for teams

Distribute packaged Helm charts across teams or to public audiences using GitHub's native infrastructure. Simplifies onboarding Kubernetes deployments via standard Helm workflows.

Implementation considerations

Requires gh-pages branch created and GitHub Pages enabled in repository settings. Workflow must have contents:write permission to push releases and branch updates.
Charts must be organized in a configurable directory (default: /charts). Chart versioning is detected via Helm chart metadata; ensure Chart.yaml version increments trigger releases.
Optional config file (cr.yaml) allows customization of owner, git-base-url, and other chart-releaser options. Reference helm/chart-releaser documentation for advanced configurations.
Environment variable CR_TOKEN (GitHub token) is mandatory. Use ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }} to avoid personal token leakage. Token permissions must include repository write access.
Outputs (changed_charts, chart_version) are useful for downstream workflow steps. skip_packaging and skip_upload flags enable custom preprocessing or OCI upload workflows.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

Using OCI-based Helm repositories — If you require OCI artifact support (helm push to registries like Docker Hub, ECR, or Artifactory), this tool's GitHub Pages model may not align. Use skip_upload option and manage OCI upload separately.
No Git/GitHub infrastructure — This action is GitHub-specific and requires GitHub Actions, repositories, and Pages integration. Not suitable for self-managed Git or non-GitHub platforms.
Private/restricted chart distribution — GitHub Pages publishes content publicly by default. If charts must remain private, GitHub Pages access controls and additional authentication layers are required; consider private registries instead.
Complex multi-repository chart management — Single-repository-per-action design limits coordination across distributed chart sources. Large monorepo or multi-team setups may require orchestration logic beyond the tool's scope.

License & commercial use

Licensed under Apache License 2.0, a permissive OSI-approved license allowing commercial use, modification, and distribution with attribution and liability waiver.

Apache-2.0 permits commercial use without restriction. Attribution is required in documentation or license file. No warranty is provided. Verify compatibility with your organization's license policy and any proprietary chart content you plan to release.

DEV.co evaluation signals

Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.

Signal	Assessment
Maintenance	Active
Documentation	Adequate
License clarity	Clear
Deployment complexity	Low
DEV.co fit	Good
Assessment confidence	High

Security considerations

Action requires CR_TOKEN (GitHub token) with write access to repository. Token is passed as environment variable; ensure workflow runs in trusted context and GitHub token permissions are scoped minimally. Artifacts are published to GitHub Pages (public by default); chart content should not contain secrets. No audit of action's internal security posture or dependency scanning provided in data.

Alternatives to consider

Helm ChartMuseum

Self-hosted Helm chart server with advanced features (private repos, authentication, multi-tenancy). Requires external infrastructure but offers more control than GitHub Pages.

Harbor

Enterprise-grade OCI and Helm registry with RBAC, scanning, and replication. Suitable for large teams and organizations needing strong access controls and artifact integrity.

Manual helm push to OCI registries (e.g., AWS ECR, Docker Hub)

Direct OCI registry integration without GitHub Pages. Useful if charts are distributed alongside container images or if private registries are mandated.

Software development agency

Build on chart-releaser-action with DEV.co software developers

Integrate chart-releaser-action into your CI/CD pipeline to publish charts on GitHub Pages with minimal setup. Evaluate OCI registry alternatives if you require private or enterprise distribution.

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chart-releaser-action FAQ

Can I use this with private charts or private GitHub repositories?

GitHub Pages can be configured with access restrictions (org-level or branch-level). However, by default Pages are public. Use GitHub's private Pages feature, or consider alternative private registries (ChartMuseum, Harbor, OCI registries) for fully private distribution.

What happens if I push a new chart version?

The action detects version changes in Chart.yaml on each push to the configured branch. It creates a GitHub release, packages the chart, uploads the .tgz artifact, and updates index.yaml on the gh-pages branch. If skip_existing is set, duplicate versions are skipped.

Can I use this with OCI-based Helm repositories?

Not directly. The action is designed for GitHub Pages. You can use skip_upload to skip GitHub Pages publishing and handle OCI upload separately in a custom step, but this tool does not provide native OCI registry support.

What permissions does CR_TOKEN need?

CR_TOKEN should have at least contents:write permission to create releases and push to gh-pages branch. Use GitHub's GITHUB_TOKEN with appropriate permissions or a fine-grained personal access token scoped to the repository.

Software developers & web developers for hire

From first prototype to production, DEV.co delivers software development services around tools like chart-releaser-action. Our software development agency staffs experienced software developers and web developers for custom software development, web development, integrations, and ongoing support across open-source devops and beyond.

Ready to automate your Helm chart releases?

Integrate chart-releaser-action into your CI/CD pipeline to publish charts on GitHub Pages with minimal setup. Evaluate OCI registry alternatives if you require private or enterprise distribution.

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