Choose a package and API

Choose packages by the operation your application needs to perform. Rendering loads chart content and values, then returns manifest text. Release operations also require Kubernetes credentials and maintain lifecycle history.

Choose by task

Goal	Start with	Main types	Do not choose it when…
Render a chart	HelmSharp.Chart + HelmSharp.Engine	HelmChartLoader, HelmValues, HelmTemplateRenderer	The application must apply resources and record release history.
Expose Helm-style operations	HelmSharp.Action	HelmClient, IHelmClient, request objects, CommandResult	You only need YAML and want no Kubernetes dependencies.
Apply existing YAML	HelmSharp.Kube	KubernetesManifestApplier, KubernetesResourceWaiter, ManifestIdentity	You need Helm release state, hooks, or values merging.
Work with releases directly	HelmSharp.Release	Release model and Kubernetes-backed store	HelmClient already owns the whole workflow.
Maintain an HTTP chart repository	HelmSharp.Repo	HelmChartRepository, HelmRepoIndexer, HelmPullRequest	The requirement is complete OCI registry parity.
Transform manifest text	HelmSharp.PostRenderer	IPostRenderer	The transformation belongs in a chart template.

High-level client or renderer?

Use HelmTemplateRenderer directly when an application exposes a rendering capability. It makes the operation visible in code: load the chart, compute values, configure capabilities, and return strings.

Use HelmClient when the public surface deliberately resembles a Helm operation. It returns CommandResult for template, package, repository, dependency, and lifecycle work, so an endpoint or CLI can expose standard output, standard error, and an exit code consistently.

var result = await client.TemplateAsync(new HelmTemplateRequest
{
    ReleaseName = "preview",
    Namespace = "platform",
    Chart = chartPath,
    ValuesFiles = ["values.production.yaml"],
    KubeVersion = "1.30.0"
}, cancellationToken);

if (!result.Succeeded)
    return Results.BadRequest(result.StandardError);

return Results.Text(result.StandardOutput, "text/yaml");

Use the generated public API index

The generated pages list public types, properties, and methods from the current source tree. They are a name and source index, not full API reference documentation. Use the package guide to decide which abstraction belongs in your code, then use the listed source-file path to find the declaration in the repository for parameter-level detail.

Package	Guide	Generated API
HelmSharp.Action	Guide	API
HelmSharp.Chart	Guide	API
HelmSharp.Engine	Guide	API
HelmSharp.Kube	Guide	API
Distribution and extensions	All package guides	All generated pages

Template helper types under HelmSharp.Engine.Functions and HelmSharp.Engine.Utilities mainly exist to implement Helm/Sprig behavior. Application code should treat HelmTemplateRenderer as its renderer API and consult the function matrix before using a helper in a chart.