(helm/v2alpha): ensure that args are obtained and used in the helm charts

Author: camilamacedo86

docs/book/src/cronjob-tutorial/testdata/project/dist/chart/templates/manager/manager.yaml

@@ -24,8 +24,10 @@ spec:
             containers:
                 - args:
                     - --metrics-bind-address=:8443
-                    - --leader-elect
                     - --health-probe-bind-address=:8081
+                    {{- range .Values.controllerManager.args }}
+                    - {{ . }}
+                    {{- end }}
                     {{- if and .Values.certManager.enable .Values.metrics.enable }}
                     - --metrics-cert-path=/tmp/k8s-metrics-server/metrics-certs
                     {{- end }}

docs/book/src/cronjob-tutorial/testdata/project/dist/chart/values.yaml

@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ controllerManager:
     tag: latest
     pullPolicy: IfNotPresent
 
+  # Arguments for the manager
+  args:
+    - --leader-elect
+
   # Environment variables
   env: []
 

docs/book/src/getting-started/testdata/project/dist/chart/templates/manager/manager.yaml

@@ -24,8 +24,10 @@ spec:
             containers:
                 - args:
                     - --metrics-bind-address=:8443
-                    - --leader-elect
                     - --health-probe-bind-address=:8081
+                    {{- range .Values.controllerManager.args }}
+                    - {{ . }}
+                    {{- end }}
                   command:
                     - /manager
                   image: "{{ .Values.controllerManager.image.repository }}:{{ .Values.controllerManager.image.tag }}"

docs/book/src/getting-started/testdata/project/dist/chart/values.yaml

@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ controllerManager:
     tag: latest
     pullPolicy: IfNotPresent
 
+  # Arguments for the manager
+  args:
+    - --leader-elect
+
   # Environment variables
   env: []
 

docs/book/src/multiversion-tutorial/testdata/project/dist/chart/templates/manager/manager.yaml

@@ -24,8 +24,10 @@ spec:
             containers:
                 - args:
                     - --metrics-bind-address=:8443
-                    - --leader-elect
                     - --health-probe-bind-address=:8081
+                    {{- range .Values.controllerManager.args }}
+                    - {{ . }}
+                    {{- end }}
                     {{- if and .Values.certManager.enable .Values.metrics.enable }}
                     - --metrics-cert-path=/tmp/k8s-metrics-server/metrics-certs
                     {{- end }}

docs/book/src/multiversion-tutorial/testdata/project/dist/chart/values.yaml

@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ controllerManager:
     tag: latest
     pullPolicy: IfNotPresent
 
+  # Arguments for the manager
+  args:
+    - --leader-elect
+
   # Environment variables
   env: []
 

pkg/plugins/optional/helm/v2alpha/scaffolds/internal/kustomize/chart_converter.go

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package kustomize
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"strings"
 
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
 
@@ -141,6 +142,32 @@ func (c *ChartConverter) ExtractDeploymentConfig() map[string]interface{} {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Extract container arguments
+	if args, argsFound, argsErr := unstructured.NestedFieldNoCopy(firstContainer, "args"); argsFound && argsErr == nil {
+		if argsList, argsOk := args.([]interface{}); argsOk && len(argsList) > 0 {
+			filteredArgs := make([]interface{}, 0, len(argsList))
+			for _, rawArg := range argsList {
+				strArg, ok := rawArg.(string)
+				if !ok {
+					filteredArgs = append(filteredArgs, rawArg)
+					continue
+				}
+
+				if strings.Contains(strArg, "--metrics-bind-address") ||
+					strings.Contains(strArg, "--health-probe-bind-address") ||
+					strings.Contains(strArg, "--webhook-cert-path") ||
+					strings.Contains(strArg, "--metrics-cert-path") {
+					continue
+				}
+				filteredArgs = append(filteredArgs, strArg)
+			}
+
+			if len(filteredArgs) > 0 {
+				config["args"] = filteredArgs
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Extract resources
 	if resources, resFound, resErr := unstructured.NestedFieldNoCopy(firstContainer,
 		"resources"); resFound && resErr == nil {

pkg/plugins/optional/helm/v2alpha/scaffolds/internal/kustomize/chart_converter_test.go

@@ -131,6 +131,13 @@ var _ = Describe("ChartConverter", func() {
 				map[string]interface{}{
 					"name":  "manager",
 					"image": "controller:latest",
+					"args": []interface{}{
+						"--metrics-bind-address=:8443",
+						"--leader-elect",
+						"--custom-flag=value",
+						"--health-probe-bind-address=:8081",
+						"--webhook-cert-path=/tmp/k8s-webhook-server/serving-certs",
+					},
 					"env": []interface{}{
 						map[string]interface{}{
 							"name":  "TEST_ENV",
@@ -158,6 +165,14 @@ var _ = Describe("ChartConverter", func() {
 			Expect(config).NotTo(BeNil())
 			Expect(config).To(HaveKey("env"))
 			Expect(config).To(HaveKey("resources"))
+			Expect(config).To(HaveKey("args"))
+
+			args, ok := config["args"].([]interface{})
+			Expect(ok).To(BeTrue())
+			Expect(args).To(ContainElement("--leader-elect"))
+			Expect(args).To(ContainElement("--custom-flag=value"))
+			Expect(args).NotTo(ContainElement("--metrics-bind-address=:8443"))
+			Expect(args).NotTo(ContainElement("--health-probe-bind-address=:8081"))
 		})
 
 		It("should handle deployment without containers", func() {

pkg/plugins/optional/helm/v2alpha/scaffolds/internal/kustomize/helm_templater.go

@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ func (t *HelmTemplater) templateDeploymentFields(yamlContent string) string {
 	yamlContent = t.templateSecurityContexts(yamlContent)
 	yamlContent = t.templateVolumeMounts(yamlContent)
 	yamlContent = t.templateVolumes(yamlContent)
+	yamlContent = t.templateControllerManagerArgs(yamlContent)
 
 	return yamlContent
 }
@@ -263,6 +264,90 @@ func (t *HelmTemplater) templateVolumes(yamlContent string) string {
 	return yamlContent
 }
 
+// templateControllerManagerArgs exposes controller manager args via values.yaml while keeping core defaults
+func (t *HelmTemplater) templateControllerManagerArgs(yamlContent string) string {
+	if !strings.Contains(yamlContent, "name: manager") {
+		return yamlContent
+	}
+
+	argsPattern := regexp.MustCompile(`(?m)([ \t]+)args:\n((?:[ \t]+-.*\n)+)`)
+	loc := argsPattern.FindStringSubmatchIndex(yamlContent)
+	if loc == nil {
+		return yamlContent
+	}
+
+	match := yamlContent[loc[0]:loc[1]]
+	if strings.Contains(match, ".Values.controllerManager.args") {
+		return yamlContent
+	}
+
+	indent := yamlContent[loc[2]:loc[3]]
+	itemsBlock := yamlContent[loc[4]:loc[5]]
+
+	itemIndent := indent + "  "
+	lines := strings.Split(itemsBlock, "\n")
+	var (
+		metricsLine    string
+		healthLine     string
+		preservedLines []string
+	)
+
+	for _, rawLine := range lines {
+		line := strings.TrimRight(rawLine, "\r")
+		trimmed := strings.TrimSpace(line)
+		if trimmed == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if itemIndent == indent+"  " {
+			if idx := strings.Index(line, "-"); idx > 0 {
+				itemIndent = line[:idx]
+			}
+		}
+
+		switch {
+		case strings.Contains(trimmed, "--metrics-bind-address"):
+			metricsLine = line
+		case strings.Contains(trimmed, "--health-probe-bind-address"):
+			healthLine = line
+		case strings.Contains(trimmed, "--webhook-cert-path"),
+			strings.Contains(trimmed, "--metrics-cert-path"):
+			preservedLines = append(preservedLines, line)
+		default:
+			// Remaining args will be handled through values.yaml
+		}
+	}
+
+	var builder strings.Builder
+	builder.WriteString(indent)
+	builder.WriteString("args:\n")
+
+	if metricsLine != "" {
+		builder.WriteString(metricsLine)
+		builder.WriteString("\n")
+	}
+	if healthLine != "" {
+		builder.WriteString(healthLine)
+		builder.WriteString("\n")
+	}
+
+	builder.WriteString(itemIndent)
+	builder.WriteString("{{- range .Values.controllerManager.args }}\n")
+	builder.WriteString(itemIndent)
+	builder.WriteString("- {{ . }}\n")
+	builder.WriteString(itemIndent)
+	builder.WriteString("{{- end }}\n")
+
+	for _, line := range preservedLines {
+		builder.WriteString(line)
+		builder.WriteString("\n")
+	}
+
+	newBlock := strings.TrimRight(builder.String(), "\n") + "\n"
+
+	return yamlContent[:loc[0]] + newBlock + yamlContent[loc[1]:]
+}
+
 // templateImageReference converts hardcoded image references to Helm templates
 func (t *HelmTemplater) templateImageReference(yamlContent string) string {
 	// Replace hardcoded controller image with Helm template

pkg/plugins/optional/helm/v2alpha/scaffolds/internal/kustomize/helm_templater_test.go

@@ -111,13 +111,22 @@ spec:
     spec:
       containers:
       - args:
+        - --metrics-bind-address=:8443
+        - --health-probe-bind-address=:8081
         - --webhook-cert-path=/tmp/k8s-webhook-server/serving-certs/tls.crt
         - --metrics-cert-path=/tmp/k8s-metrics-server/metrics-certs/tls.crt
         - --leader-elect
         name: manager`
 
 			result := templater.ApplyHelmSubstitutions(content, deploymentResource)
 
+			// Should expose args through values.yaml templating
+			Expect(result).To(ContainSubstring("- --metrics-bind-address=:8443"))
+			Expect(result).To(ContainSubstring("- --health-probe-bind-address=:8081"))
+			Expect(result).To(ContainSubstring("{{- range .Values.controllerManager.args }}"))
+			Expect(result).To(ContainSubstring("- {{ . }}"))
+			Expect(result).To(ContainSubstring("{{- end }}"))
+
 			// Should have proper conditional formatting for webhook cert path
 			Expect(result).To(ContainSubstring("{{- if .Values.certManager.enable }}"))
 			Expect(result).To(ContainSubstring("- --webhook-cert-path=/tmp/k8s-webhook-server/serving-certs/tls.crt"))