First Render

What problem this solves

Use the render-only path when your application needs Kubernetes YAML for preview, validation, policy checks, GitOps output, or drift detection without mutating a cluster.

Packages to install

dotnet add package HelmSharp.Chart --version 1.1.0
dotnet add package HelmSharp.Engine --version 1.1.0

Minimal complete code

public static async Task<RenderedChartPreview> RenderFirstChartAsync(
    string chartPath,
    string valuesPath,
    CancellationToken cancellationToken)
{
    var chart = await HelmChartLoader.LoadAsync(chartPath, cancellationToken);

    var values = await HelmValues.BuildAsync(
        chart: chart,
        valuesFiles: [valuesPath],
        valuesContent: null,
        setValues: new Dictionary<string, string>
        {
            ["image.tag"] = "1.25.3",
            ["replicaCount"] = "2"
        },
        setFileValues: null,
        setStringValues: null,
        setJsonValues: null,
        cancellationToken: cancellationToken);

    var renderer = new HelmTemplateRenderer(chart, "demo", "default", values);

    return new RenderedChartPreview(
        Manifest: renderer.Render(),
        Notes: renderer.RenderNotes());
}

Why these APIs

HelmChartLoader.LoadAsync loads Chart.yaml, values.yaml, templates, CRDs, files, dependencies, and subcharts. HelmValues.BuildAsync applies Helm-style values precedence. HelmTemplateRenderer.Render() returns rendered manifests, while RenderNotes() returns NOTES.txt.

Production notes

• Pass absolute chart paths from your service boundary so diagnostics are reproducible.
• Capture the values inputs used for each preview; the manifest is only explainable with the values set that produced it.
• Use Live Compare or the Helm CLI golden tests when investigating chart-specific differences.

Next step

Read Values to model user overrides correctly.