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brew install helm-docsprovider-native install command
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Install helm-docs with Homebrew
Tool for automatically generating markdown documentation for helm charts. Version 1.14.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-27.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Tool for automatically generating markdown documentation for helm charts
Project links
Commands and aliases
- helm-docs
history
Project history and usage
helm-docs is a Go command-line tool that auto-generates Markdown documentation from Helm charts. Its README describes generated files that include chart metadata and tables of values, defaults, and descriptions parsed from comments.
The project sits in the practical layer around Helm: once charts became a common packaging format for Kubernetes applications, teams needed generated, reviewable README files that stayed synchronized with `Chart.yaml`, `values.yaml`, and template conventions.
Project history
The public repository was created in September 2018, during the period when Helm charts were becoming a standard way to distribute Kubernetes applications. GitHub release metadata shows a v0.1.0 release in July 2019.
The tool evolved around Go templates and chart parsing. Its default workflow searches recursively for `Chart.yaml`, reads values files and chart metadata, and renders Markdown through either a default internal template or user-supplied `README.md.gotmpl` files.
Adoption history
helm-docs became part of chart-authoring workflows because it is easy to run locally, in containers, and as a pre-commit hook. The README includes pre-commit hook configurations and direct binary usage for regenerating READMEs.
The README documents Homebrew, Scoop, mise, source builds, and container usage, while the supplied package metadata also lists Homebrew, Nix, Scoop, and openSUSE packaging.
How it is used
A chart maintainer runs `helm-docs` in a repository, optionally with `--chart-search-root`, `--template-files`, or `--dry-run`. The tool finds charts, parses metadata and values, and writes generated Markdown back into chart README files.
Comment conventions in `values.yaml` let maintainers document fields next to the defaults they control. That makes the generated table useful for reviewers and users who need to understand chart configuration without reading every template.
Why package nerds care
helm-docs is package-nerd glue: it turns Helm charts from installable bundles into better documented packages. In chart repositories with many values, generated documentation prevents README drift and makes package review less painful.
It is also a good example of a packaging-adjacent CLI that belongs in package managers because teams run it in hooks, CI, release pipelines, and local chart authoring environments.
Timeline
- 2018: Public GitHub repository created.
- 2019: v0.1.0 release published.
- 2019: Early 0.x releases iterate on generated chart documentation.
- 2020s: README documents Homebrew, Scoop, mise, source, container, and pre-commit workflows.
Related projects
- Helm is the chart format and command-line ecosystem that helm-docs documents.
- Go templates drive the Markdown rendering model.
- pre-commit is a common workflow integration documented by the project.
- Chart.yaml, values.yaml, and README.md.gotmpl are the main chart files touched by the tool.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
helm-docs | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-08-03
manager version1.14.2
manager updated2026-07-27
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:helm-docs |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.14.2 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://github.com/norwoodj/helm-docs |
| Repository | https://github.com/norwoodj/helm-docs |
| Last updated | 2026-07-27T14:32:24+02:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation