feat: add an arg that passing description to `helm upgrade` command by swimablefish · Pull Request #2497 · helmfile/helmfile

swimablefish · 2026-03-23T03:06:02Z

Hi, could helmfile support passing release description to helm release?

The background is: in our pipelines, we add some extra info into the release description field to track the activity of the deployments. If we switch to helmfile, we would lose the ability to use the description field.

yxxhero · 2026-03-23T03:22:53Z

@swimablefish please fix DCO issue.

yxxhero · 2026-03-23T03:23:52Z

@swimablefish ok. good idea.

yxxhero · 2026-03-23T05:20:02Z

@swimablefish please fix DCO issue.

yxxhero · 2026-03-23T05:21:50Z

see: https://github.com/helmfile/helmfile/pull/2497/checks?check_run_id=68130863693 @swimablefish

fix: github actions Signed-off-by: swimablefish <[email protected]>

Copilot

Pull request overview

Adds support for passing a Helm release description through helmfile so CI/CD pipelines can annotate deployments using Helm’s --description flag.

Changes:

Adds description to ReleaseSpec (helmfile.yaml) and plumbs a global --description option through apply/sync config.
Appends --description to the helm upgrade args with CLI taking precedence over per-release config.
Extends unit tests to cover description precedence and empty-string behavior.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 9 out of 9 changed files in this pull request and generated 3 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
pkg/state/state.go	Adds description fields and appends `--description` during upgrade arg construction
pkg/state/state_test.go	Adds coverage for description precedence and empty-string omission
pkg/config/sync.go	Adds `Description` option + accessor for sync configuration
pkg/config/apply.go	Adds `Description` option + accessor for apply configuration
pkg/app/config.go	Extends config provider interfaces with `Description()`
pkg/app/app.go	Wires `Description()` into `state.SyncOpts`
pkg/app/app_test.go	Updates test config impl to satisfy new interface
cmd/sync.go	Adds `--description` flag to `helmfile sync`
cmd/apply.go	Adds `--description` flag to `helmfile apply`

Copilot · 2026-03-23T05:35:44Z

+	// Handle description flag - command line takes precedence over config file
+	description := release.Description
+	if opt != nil && opt.Description != "" {
+		description = opt.Description
+	}
+	if description != "" {
+		flags = append(flags, "--description", description)
+	}


The CLI --description is documented as “Overrides descriptions in helmfile.yaml”, but the implementation only overrides when the provided value is non-empty. With Cobra StringVar defaulting to "", this also makes it impossible to explicitly override a per-release description to an empty value (because “flag not provided” and “provided empty” are indistinguishable). Consider tracking whether the flag was explicitly set (e.g., via cmd.Flags().Changed("description") and carrying an additional boolean / pointer through options), then applying precedence based on “was set” rather than “non-empty”. If keeping current behavior, update the CLI help text to clarify that empty values won’t override.

Suggested change

// Handle description flag - command line takes precedence over config file

description := release.Description

if opt != nil && opt.Description != "" {

description = opt.Description

}

if description != "" {

flags = append(flags, "--description", description)

}

// Handle description flag - command line takes precedence over config file.

// When CLI options are provided (opt != nil), always use opt.Description and

// always pass --description, even if the value is empty, so that an explicit

// empty CLI value can clear any description set in configuration.

if opt != nil {

flags = append(flags, "--description", opt.Description)

} else if release.Description != "" {

flags = append(flags, "--description", release.Description)

}

Copilot · 2026-03-23T05:35:45Z

+		description = opt.Description
+	}
+	if description != "" {
+		flags = append(flags, "--description", description)


--description support in helm upgrade is Helm-version dependent. flagsForUpgrade already gates other flags based on helm.IsVersionAtLeast(...), but --description is appended unconditionally, which can break upgrades against older Helm clients that don’t recognize the flag. Add a version guard around appending --description (using the minimum Helm version that supports it) and add/adjust a unit test to assert it’s omitted for older versions.

Suggested change

flags = append(flags, "--description", description)

if helm.IsVersionAtLeast("3.3.0") {

flags = append(flags, "--description", description)

}

Copilot · 2026-03-23T05:35:45Z

 		flags = append(flags, "--cleanup-on-fail")
 	}

+	// Handle description flag - command line takes precedence over config file


The comment says “command line takes precedence”, but the code is checking SyncOpts.Description, which is a generic options struct and may be populated from sources other than CLI wiring. Consider rewording to something source-agnostic like “sync/apply options take precedence over per-release config” to match actual behavior.

Suggested change

// Handle description flag - command line takes precedence over config file

// Handle description flag - sync/apply options take precedence over per-release config

Signed-off-by: swimablefish <[email protected]>

yxxhero · 2026-03-23T07:20:13Z

+	if description != "" {
+		flags = append(flags, "--description", description)
+	}
+


move all to new function like: appendEnableDNSFlags

@swimablefish

yxxhero · 2026-03-23T10:16:59Z

@swimablefish PTAL

Signed-off-by: swimablefish <[email protected]>

…ure/add-description-arg

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 10 out of 10 changed files in this pull request and generated 4 comments.

Copilot · 2026-03-24T03:08:17Z

 	// Name is the name of this release
-	Name            string            `yaml:"name,omitempty"`
+	Name string `yaml:"name,omitempty"`
+	// Description is the description for this release that will be passed to helm upgrade with --description flag
+	Description     string            `yaml:"description,omitempty"`
 	Namespace       string            `yaml:"namespace,omitempty"`
 	Labels          map[string]string `yaml:"labels,omitempty"`


ReleaseSpec field alignment here isn't gofmt-ed (e.g., Description and subsequent fields are misaligned). Please run gofmt (or adjust formatting) so the struct is consistently formatted and avoids CI/style failures.

Copilot · 2026-03-24T03:08:17Z

+// appendDescriptionFlags appends the helm command-line flag for release description
+// Command line takes precedence over config file
+func (st *HelmState) appendDescriptionFlags(flags []string, release *ReleaseSpec, opt *SyncOpts) []string {
+	description := release.Description
+	if opt != nil && opt.Description != "" {
+		description = opt.Description
+	}
+	if description != "" {
+		flags = append(flags, "--description", description)
+	}


--description is not supported by all Helm 3.x versions (it is missing at least in Helm 3.1.x). As implemented, helmfile will pass --description whenever a description is set, which can cause helm upgrade to fail on older Helm 3 installs. Consider gating this flag using the detected Helm version (similar to how createNamespace is handled) and returning a clear error when a description is requested on an unsupported Helm version.

Copilot · 2026-03-24T03:08:18Z

+		{
+			name: "description-from-release",
+			defaults: HelmSpec{
+				Verify:          false,
+				CreateNamespace: &disable,
+			},
+			version: semver.MustParse("3.10.0"),
+			release: &ReleaseSpec{


Consider adding a regression test for a Helm 3 version that does not support helm upgrade --description (e.g., 3.1.x) to ensure helmfile either omits the flag or returns a clear version-related error when Description is set. This will prevent reintroducing version-compatibility breakages.

yxxhero · 2026-03-24T03:10:22Z

@swimablefish please review the new comments.

yxxhero · 2026-03-24T03:24:09Z

@swimablefish I will cut an new version when this is merged.

Signed-off-by: swimablefish <[email protected]>

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 10 out of 10 changed files in this pull request and generated 2 comments.

Copilot · 2026-03-24T09:38:24Z

 	f.StringVar(&applyOptions.TrackMode, "track-mode", "", "Track mode for releases: 'helm' (default), 'helm-legacy' (Helm v4 only), or 'kubedog'")
 	f.IntVar(&applyOptions.TrackTimeout, "track-timeout", 0, `Timeout in seconds for kubedog tracking (0 to use default 300s timeout)`)
 	f.BoolVar(&applyOptions.TrackLogs, "track-logs", false, "Enable log streaming with kubedog tracking")
+	f.StringVar(&applyOptions.Description, "description", "", `Set description for all releases. Overrides descriptions in helmfile.yaml. Will be passed to "helm upgrade --description"`)


The flag help text says this “Overrides descriptions in helmfile.yaml”, but in the implementation an empty string is treated as “not set” (so it won’t override). Consider clarifying the help text to something like “If set, overrides …” so users don’t expect --description="" to clear per-release descriptions.

Suggested change

f.StringVar(&applyOptions.Description, "description", "", `Set description for all releases. Overrides descriptions in helmfile.yaml. Will be passed to "helm upgrade --description"`)

f.StringVar(&applyOptions.Description, "description", "", `Set description for all releases. If set, overrides descriptions in helmfile.yaml. Will be passed to "helm upgrade --description"`)

Copilot · 2026-03-24T09:38:25Z

 	f.StringVar(&syncOptions.TrackMode, "track-mode", "", "Track mode for releases: 'helm' (default), 'helm-legacy' (Helm v4 only), or 'kubedog'")
 	f.IntVar(&syncOptions.TrackTimeout, "track-timeout", 0, `Timeout in seconds for kubedog tracking (0 to use default 300s timeout)`)
 	f.BoolVar(&syncOptions.TrackLogs, "track-logs", false, "Enable log streaming with kubedog tracking")
+	f.StringVar(&syncOptions.Description, "description", "", `Set description for all releases. Overrides descriptions in helmfile.yaml. Will be passed to "helm upgrade --description"`)


The flag help text says this “Overrides descriptions in helmfile.yaml”, but in the implementation an empty string is treated as “not set” (so it won’t override). Consider clarifying the help text to something like “If set, overrides …” so users don’t expect --description="" to clear per-release descriptions.

Suggested change

f.StringVar(&syncOptions.Description, "description", "", `Set description for all releases. Overrides descriptions in helmfile.yaml. Will be passed to "helm upgrade --description"`)

f.StringVar(&syncOptions.Description, "description", "", `Set description for all releases. If set, overrides descriptions in helmfile.yaml. Will be passed to "helm upgrade --description"`)

Signed-off-by: swimablefish <[email protected]>

yxxhero · 2026-03-25T07:28:53Z

@swimablefish is new version ok for your case?

swimablefish requested review from aditmeno, itscaro, mumoshu, xiaomudk, yxxhero and zhaque44 as code owners March 23, 2026 03:06

swimablefish force-pushed the feature/add-description-arg branch from fda8ddf to cf63b9a Compare March 23, 2026 03:10

feat: add an arg that passing description to helm upgrade command

46b700c

fix: github actions Signed-off-by: swimablefish <[email protected]>

swimablefish force-pushed the feature/add-description-arg branch from db3ec9d to 46b700c Compare March 23, 2026 05:25

yxxhero requested a review from Copilot March 23, 2026 05:28

Copilot AI reviewed Mar 23, 2026

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Copilot started reviewing on behalf of yxxhero March 23, 2026 05:43 View session

fix: lint and test failed

674e39f

Signed-off-by: swimablefish <[email protected]>

yxxhero reviewed Mar 23, 2026

View reviewed changes

feat: encapsulation

98e84a6

Signed-off-by: swimablefish <[email protected]>

swimablefish force-pushed the feature/add-description-arg branch from 7c27007 to 98e84a6 Compare March 24, 2026 02:14

Merge branch 'main' of https://github.com/helmfile/helmfile into feat…

a250245

…ure/add-description-arg

yxxhero requested a review from Copilot March 24, 2026 02:52

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of yxxhero March 24, 2026 02:53 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Mar 24, 2026

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feat: add version gate

44d1b03

Signed-off-by: swimablefish <[email protected]>

yxxhero requested a review from Copilot March 24, 2026 09:26

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of yxxhero March 24, 2026 09:26 View session

Merge branch 'main' into feature/add-description-arg

0a3e5ff

Copilot AI reviewed Mar 24, 2026

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swimablefish force-pushed the feature/add-description-arg branch from 4d71238 to 97bf81c Compare March 24, 2026 09:58

feat: rephrase

8487d50

Signed-off-by: swimablefish <[email protected]>

swimablefish force-pushed the feature/add-description-arg branch from 97bf81c to 8487d50 Compare March 24, 2026 09:59

yxxhero approved these changes Mar 24, 2026

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yxxhero merged commit c70b20a into helmfile:main Mar 24, 2026
16 checks passed

BrewTestBot mentioned this pull request Mar 24, 2026

helmfile 1.4.3 Homebrew/homebrew-core#273949

Merged

-	// Handle description flag - command line takes precedence over config file
-	description := release.Description
-	if opt != nil && opt.Description != "" {
-		description = opt.Description
-	}
-	if description != "" {
-		flags = append(flags, "--description", description)
-	}
+	// Handle description flag - command line takes precedence over config file.
+	// When CLI options are provided (opt != nil), always use opt.Description and
+	// always pass --description, even if the value is empty, so that an explicit
+	// empty CLI value can clear any description set in configuration.
+	if opt != nil {
+		flags = append(flags, "--description", opt.Description)
+	} else if release.Description != "" {
+		flags = append(flags, "--description", release.Description)
+	}

	// Handle description flag - command line takes precedence over config file
	// Handle description flag - sync/apply options take precedence over per-release config

	f.StringVar(&applyOptions.Description, "description", "", `Set description for all releases. Overrides descriptions in helmfile.yaml. Will be passed to "helm upgrade --description"`)
	f.StringVar(&applyOptions.Description, "description", "", `Set description for all releases. If set, overrides descriptions in helmfile.yaml. Will be passed to "helm upgrade --description"`)

	f.StringVar(&syncOptions.Description, "description", "", `Set description for all releases. Overrides descriptions in helmfile.yaml. Will be passed to "helm upgrade --description"`)
	f.StringVar(&syncOptions.Description, "description", "", `Set description for all releases. If set, overrides descriptions in helmfile.yaml. Will be passed to "helm upgrade --description"`)

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