Understanding the Chart.yaml file

The Chart.yaml file, also referred to as the chart definition, is used for storing different pieces of metadata about a Helm chart. This file is required, and if it is not included within a chart, you’ll receive the following error:

Error: Chart.yaml file is missing

A Chart.yaml file was created for you earlier when you ran helm create. Let’s review this file by running the following command:

$ cat guestbook/Chart.yaml

An output like the following will be displayed:

Figure 4.4 – The Guestbook Chart.yaml file

A Chart.yaml file can contain many different fields, some of which are required, while most other fields are optional. Let’s take a closer look at each of the fields provided in our Guestbook chart’s Chart.yaml file.

Field	Description	Required?
...