Helm charts introduce unnecessary complexity by hiding the deployment process with layers of templating and nested values.yaml files, making it harder to manage and troubleshoot.
Combining YAML with Go templating as in Helm leads to complexity due to fragile constructs, making configurations difficult to read and maintain.
Helm's dependency management adds complexity with nested charts and brittle version pinning, complicating customization and overriding values.
Kustomize provides a declarative approach to Kubernetes configuration but blurs the line between declarative and imperative, requiring deep Kubernetes object understanding.
Kustomize's use of patching mechanisms and dynamic behavior can lead to verbose, hard-to-maintain configurations and a complex layering of data-as-code.
A Makefile approach to Kubernetes deployment using tools like sed, awk, and jq offers transparency, control, and ease of debugging compared to more complex tools like Helm.
Using Makefiles for Kubernetes deployments enables customizable workflows and transparency, allowing for simpler string manipulation and greater control over the deployment logic.
Constraints in Makefiles help ensure consistency and prevent errors by validating inputs, restricting configurations, and enforcing best practices during the build process.
Generating labels dynamically based on parameters like target environment using Makefiles simplifies Kubernetes deployments and reduces repetition, enhancing consistency.
The article emphasizes the simplicity and efficiency of Unix tools when handling Kubernetes deployments, advocating for minimal tool usage to maintain control and reduce complexity.