helm diff not working when using kubernetes.core.helm with on-the-fly templating

[SpikePy]

SUMMARY

When using the module kubernetes.core.k8s with on-the-fly templating helm diff seems not to work.

ISSUE TYPE

• Bug Report

COMPONENT NAME

• kubernetes.core.helm

ANSIBLE VERSION

ansible 2.10.11
  config file = None
  configured module search path = ['/root/.ansible/plugins/modules', '/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
  ansible python module location = /usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/ansible
  executable location = /usr/local/bin/ansible
  python version = 3.9.6 (default, Jun 29 2021, 19:27:32) [GCC 8.3.0]

COLLECTION VERSION

kubernetes.core    2.1.1

CONFIGURATION

ANSIBLE_FORCE_COLOR(env: ANSIBLE_FORCE_COLOR) = True
DEFAULT_LOAD_CALLBACK_PLUGINS(env: ANSIBLE_LOAD_CALLBACK_PLUGINS) = True
DEFAULT_STDOUT_CALLBACK(env: ANSIBLE_STDOUT_CALLBACK) = yaml
HOST_KEY_CHECKING(env: ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING) = False

OS / ENVIRONMENT

debian buster

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

1. Install helm diff
2. Run this task on a target machine with a valid values_redis.yml.j2

- name: Install/Upgrade redis
  kubernetes.core.helm:
    chart_repo_url: https://charts.bitnami.com/bitnami
    chart_ref: redis
    release_namespace: '{{ redis_namespace }}'
    name: redis
    chart_version: '{{ redis_helm_version }}'
    release_values: '{{ lookup("template", "values_redis.yml.j2") | from_yaml }}'

EXPECTED RESULTS

Chart gets deployed without errors

ACTUAL RESULTS

I get the following warning even when helm diff is installed

[WARNING]: The default idempotency check can fail to report changes in certain cases. Install helm diff for better results.

[erikgb]

I can confirm this behavior, and I am running inside a container image - where I am sure helm diff is installed correctly.

ansible@941670c1fde5:~$ helm plugin list
NAME    VERSION DESCRIPTION
diff    3.1.3   Preview helm upgrade changes as a diff
ansible@941670c1fde5:~$

And somehow this seems intentional:

kubernetes.core/plugins/modules/helm.py

Line 630 in a0a6d71

if has_plugin(helm_cmd_common, "diff") and not chart_repo_url:

[gravesm]

Just looked into this and as @erikgb points out this is intentional. Up until about a month ago helm diff did not support the --repo option. Unfortunately, there is still no release of helm diff with this change.

[internetionals]

The latest release of the helm diff plugin (3.4.1) seems to have the --repo option.

[aramatev]

upgrade helm diff to newer version?
at time of this writing, helm diff plugin is v 3.6.0

helm plugin install https://github.com/databus23/helm-diff

[aramatev]

upgrade helm diff to newer version?
at time of this writing, helm diff plugin is v 3.6.0

helm plugin install https://github.com/databus23/helm-diff

[zarinbal]

I used the following task to install the latest version of helm diff and fixed the issue for my self

- name: Install Helm Diff
  tags: ["kube", "base"]
  become: false
  kubernetes.core.helm_plugin:
    plugin_path: "https://github.com/databus23/helm-diff"
    state: present

[Joachim-42he]

I too am running Ansible within a Devconainer-environment where helm-diff is installed in the latest version:

> helm plugin list
NAME	VERSION	DESCRIPTION
diff	3.9.6  	Preview helm upgrade changes as a diff

and I still get the warning

[WARNING]: The default idempotency check can fail to report changes in certain cases. Install helm diff >= 3.4.1
for better results.

What else do I need to do to see Helm diffs and get rid of this warning?

[gravesm]

If you are experiencing a bug, please create a new issue and provide all the requested information.