# JIT Chapter 81: Helm Charts for AI Services (/docs/deploying-agent-factories-in-the-cloud/81-helm-charts/overview)

---
type: Document
title: "JIT Chapter 81: Helm Charts for AI Services"
description: "Build your Helm skill first, then learn to understand and refine it into a production-ready asset"
status: stable
order: 8100
generated:
  by: ag-archive/0.1.0
  at: 2026-08-26T00:00:00Z
ksor:
  audience: [public]
  approval:
    by: ag-archive/0.1.0
    at: 2026-08-26T00:00:00Z
trust_tier: unverified
build_id: sha256:c8912c3008ae345a7fdc33ace656531ad74f37c065177057c390c7d759f1e970
source_commit: dad4758bb59919c7b9130444778ade062a2dce3e
ksor_version: 0.0.47
---

You build the `helm-chart` skill first, then refine it through templating, testing, and distribution patterns so you can ship production-ready charts for your agents.

---

## Goals

- Master Helm templating (Go templates, helpers, values)
- Design multi-environment charts with schema validation
- Compose dependencies and hooks for lifecycle control
- Test and lint charts before release
- Publish and consume charts from OCI registries
- Capture the patterns in a reusable Helm skill

---

## Lesson Progression

| # | Lesson | Focus |
|---|--------|-------|
| **0** | Build Your Helm Skill | Scaffold from official docs |
| 1 | Helm Introduction | Chart basics and what the skill generates |
| 2-4 | Templating Foundation | Templates, helpers, values hierarchy |
| 5-6 | Advanced Patterns | Dependencies, hooks, lifecycle |
| 7 | Testing Charts | Linting and template debugging |
| 8 | OCI Registries | Push/pull/install from OCI |
| 9 | Library Charts | Standardized building blocks |
| 10 | AI-Assisted Development | Use AI to author/refine charts |
| **11** | Capstone: Production Chart | Ship a production-ready chart |

Each lesson ends with a skill reflection: test, find gaps, and improve the skill.

---

## Outcome & Method

You finish with a production Helm chart for your Kubernetes-deployed agent plus a refined Helm skill. The chapter follows the 4-Layer method: foundational templating → advanced composition → AI-assisted authoring → spec-driven capstone.

---

## Prerequisites

- Chapter 80 Kubernetes fundamentals (Pods, Deployments, Services, ConfigMaps, Secrets, RBAC, HPA)
- Working Docker Desktop Kubernetes cluster and kubectl access
- **Create Library Charts**: Organizational standards that enforce consistency
- **Build Reusable Intelligence**: A Helm Chart Architect skill for AI-native development

## Looking Ahead

After mastering Helm, you'll use your charts in:
- **Chapter 82 (Kafka)**: Event-driven architecture with Helm-deployed message brokers
- **Chapter 85 (CI/CD)**: GitOps pipelines that automatically deploy your Helm charts
- **Chapter 86 (Observability)**: Monitoring charts with Prometheus and Grafana dependencies