Helm charts repository using GitHub Pages

[ampls]

Helm charts repository using GitHub pages doesn't require additional authentication into GitHub.

helm repo add pulse https://ampls.github.io/Pulse/

helm install pulse pulse/pulse \
  --version $(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rcourtman/Pulse/main/VERSION) \
  --namespace pulse \
  --create-namespace

Instead of

helm registry login ghcr.io

helm install pulse oci://ghcr.io/rcourtman/pulse-chart \
  --version $(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rcourtman/Pulse/main/VERSION) \
  --namespace pulse \
  --create-namespace

Helm charts repository GitHub page example:
https://ampls.github.io/Pulse/

GitHub page branch example
https://github.com/ampls/Pulse/tree/gh-pages

Helm versions index list:
https://ampls.github.io/Pulse/index.yaml

Related article:
https://helm.sh/docs/topics/chart_repository/#github-pages-example

GitHub actions workflow example:
https://helm.sh/docs/howto/chart_releaser_action/#github-actions-workflow

[rcourtman]

You are absolutely right that helm install oci://ghcr.io/rcourtman/pulse-chart currently fails without logging in. That is a real bug and it blocks everyone who tries to pull the chart anonymously.

The failure is caused by configuration rather than any limitation of OCI charts. The pulse-chart package in GHCR is still marked private, so the registry demands credentials even though the project is meant to be public.

The fix is straightforward. Open the pulse-chart package page in GHCR, edit its settings, and change the visibility to public. As soon as that setting is saved, anonymous pulls work and the Helm install succeeds without any authentication.

OCI remains Helm's modern distribution path and it handles public charts well once visibility is set correctly. There is no need to move away from OCI just to avoid logins; the registry already supports that scenario.

Good catch highlighting this bug since it affects everyone using the chart.

[rcourtman]

Added a workflow fix in commit 8f0a548 that will automatically set the chart to public visibility on future releases.

The existing package still needs one-time manual configuration. The package owner should visit the pulse-chart package settings in GHCR and change visibility to Public. After that change, anonymous pulls will work immediately and future releases will maintain public visibility automatically.

[rcourtman]

GitHub Pages Helm repository is now live at https://rcourtman.github.io/Pulse/

You can now install without authentication:

helm repo add pulse https://rcourtman.github.io/Pulse/
helm install pulse pulse/pulse --namespace pulse --create-namespace

The OCI registry approach had package visibility issues that could not be resolved through automation. GitHub Pages provides the standard helm repo add workflow without any authentication requirements.

Implemented in commits c667b2d, 6273d57, f5c5b05, and 2ab9ffb.

[rcourtman]

GitHub Pages Helm repo is live at https://rcourtman.github.io/Pulse/ and installs happen with a simple helm repo add plus helm install—no authentication required.

The work didn't stop at mirroring the chart. Chart version and release version stay in sync automatically, values now have schema validation so typos are caught before deployment, smoke tests run in CI to confirm the chart actually installs and upgrades, helm-docs keeps configuration tables accurate, and optional ServiceMonitor resources ship out of the box for anyone running Prometheus. Linting stays strict and template validation runs on every build, so shipping a broken manifest is much harder.

Installation used to look like:

helm registry login ghcr.io
helm install pulse oci://ghcr.io/rcourtman/pulse-chart --version 4.28.0

Now it's:

helm repo add pulse https://rcourtman.github.io/Pulse/
helm repo update
helm install pulse pulse/pulse --version 4.28.0

That combination delivers a smoother experience plus guardrails most popular Helm charts still don't provide. Appreciate the suggestion—this prompted a full distribution overhaul rather than a quick workaround.

[ampls]

Great! Thanks