Helm Values Validator

Validate Helm values.yaml files against common patterns, detect type mismatches, and compare default vs override values.

About This Tool

The Helm Values Validator is a free browser-based tool that checks your values.yaml files against common Helm chart patterns and Kubernetes best practices. Whether you are authoring a new chart or customizing an existing one, this tool helps you catch configuration errors before deployment.

The validator parses your YAML and checks for known Helm conventions such as image.repository, image.tag, service.type, resources.limits, resources.requests, ingress settings, and autoscaling parameters. It flags type mismatches (e.g., a string where a number is expected), invalid enum values (e.g., an unrecognized service.type), and structural issues like missing resource requests when limits are defined.

You can also compare two values files side by side — paste your chart defaults in the left panel and your environment-specific overrides in the right panel. The comparison mode detects unused or misspelled keys, type mismatches between default and override values, and keys in the override file that do not exist in the defaults.

If you need to clean up the YAML itself, try the YAML Formatter. To validate the full Kubernetes manifest that Helm generates, check the JSON Schema Validator. And for building Docker run commands used alongside Helm deployments, see the Docker Run Command Builder.

All processing runs entirely in your browser. Your values files are never sent to any server, making this tool safe to use with production configurations, private registry URLs, and sensitive environment variables.

How to Use

  1. Paste your default values.yaml into the Default values.yaml panel on the left.
  2. Optionally paste an override values file into the Override values panel on the right.
  3. Click Validate or press Ctrl+Enter to run the validation.
  4. Review the Issues tab for errors, warnings, and informational messages about your values.
  5. Switch to the Tree View tab to explore the hierarchical structure of your values file.
  6. If you provided an override file, check the Comparison tab for misspelled keys, type mismatches, and unknown keys.
  7. Click Copy Results or press Ctrl+Shift+C to copy all validation issues to your clipboard.

Popular Helm Values Examples

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FAQ

What Helm value patterns does this tool check?

The tool validates common Helm chart conventions including image.repository, image.tag, image.pullPolicy, service.type, service.port, ingress settings, resources.limits/requests, autoscaling parameters, nodeSelector, tolerations, affinity, serviceAccount, and more. It checks for valid enum values, type correctness, and structural consistency.

Can I compare default and override values?

Yes. Paste your chart's default values.yaml in the left panel and your environment-specific overrides in the right panel. The comparison mode detects misspelled keys (using fuzzy matching), type mismatches between defaults and overrides, and keys in the override that do not exist in the defaults.

Does this tool validate Helm templates?

No. This tool validates values.yaml files only — it checks the data that gets passed into templates. It does not parse or execute Helm template syntax ({{ .Values.xxx }}). For full Helm chart validation, you would need to run 'helm lint' or 'helm template' locally.

What YAML features are supported?

The tool uses the js-yaml parser which supports YAML 1.2 including anchors, aliases, multiline strings, flow sequences, and all standard YAML data types. Comments are preserved in the input but ignored during parsing.

Is my data safe?

Yes. All validation and comparison runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No data is sent to any server. You can verify this by checking the Network tab in your browser's developer tools while using the tool. This makes it safe to validate values files containing private registry URLs, database credentials, and API keys.

How does the misspelled key detection work?

When comparing override values against defaults, the tool uses Levenshtein distance to find close matches. If an override key is not in the defaults but is within an edit distance of 2 from an existing key, it suggests the correct key name. For example, 'nodeselector' would be flagged as a likely misspelling of 'nodeSelector'.

Can I validate Kustomize overlays or plain Kubernetes YAML?

This tool is specifically designed for Helm values.yaml files and checks against Helm chart conventions. For plain Kubernetes manifests, consider using a dedicated Kubernetes YAML validator. However, you can still use this tool for YAML syntax validation on any YAML file.

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