Remote helm charts should not be upgraded by default

docs/content/en/schemas/v2beta5.json

@@ -1250,8 +1250,8 @@
         },
         "remote": {
           "type": "boolean",
-          "description": "specifies whether the chart path is remote, or exists on the host filesystem. `remote: true` implies `skipBuildDependencies: true`.",
-          "x-intellij-html-description": "specifies whether the chart path is remote, or exists on the host filesystem. <code>remote: true</code> implies <code>skipBuildDependencies: true</code>.",
+          "description": "specifies whether the chart path is remote, or exists on the host filesystem.",
+          "x-intellij-html-description": "specifies whether the chart path is remote, or exists on the host filesystem.",
           "default": "false"
         },
         "setFiles": {
@@ -1283,10 +1283,15 @@
         },
         "skipBuildDependencies": {
           "type": "boolean",
-          "description": "should build dependencies be skipped.",
-          "x-intellij-html-description": "should build dependencies be skipped.",
+          "description": "should build dependencies be skipped. Ignored when `remote: true`.",
+          "x-intellij-html-description": "should build dependencies be skipped. Ignored when <code>remote: true</code>.",
           "default": "false"
         },
+        "upgradeOnChange": {
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "description": "specifies whether to upgrade helm chart on code changes. Default is `true` when helm chart is local (`remote: false`). Default is `false` if `remote: true`.",
+          "x-intellij-html-description": "specifies whether to upgrade helm chart on code changes. Default is <code>true</code> when helm chart is local (<code>remote: false</code>). Default is <code>false</code> if <code>remote: true</code>."
+        },
         "useHelmSecrets": {
           "type": "boolean",
           "description": "instructs skaffold to use secrets plugin on deployment.",
@@ -1329,6 +1334,7 @@
         "skipBuildDependencies",
         "useHelmSecrets",
         "remote",
+        "upgradeOnChange",
         "overrides",
         "packaged",
         "imageStrategy"

pkg/skaffold/deploy/helm.go

@@ -371,6 +371,14 @@ func (h *HelmDeployer) deployRelease(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, r lates
 
 		opts.upgrade = false
 		opts.flags = h.Flags.Install
+	} else {
+		if r.UpgradeOnChange != nil && !*r.UpgradeOnChange {
+			logrus.Infof("Release %s already installed...", releaseName)
+			return []Artifact{}, nil
+		} else if r.UpgradeOnChange == nil && r.Remote {
+			logrus.Infof("Release %s not upgraded as it is remote...", releaseName)
+			return []Artifact{}, nil
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Only build local dependencies, but allow a user to skip them.

pkg/skaffold/deploy/helm_test.go

@@ -232,6 +232,15 @@ var testDeployRemoteChart = latest.HelmDeploy{
 	}},
 }
 
+var upgradeOnChangeFalse = false
+var testDeployUpgradeOnChange = latest.HelmDeploy{
+	Releases: []latest.HelmRelease{{
+		Name:            "skaffold-helm-upgradeOnChange",
+		ChartPath:       "examples/test",
+		UpgradeOnChange: &upgradeOnChangeFalse,
+	}},
+}
+
 var testDeployWithoutTags = latest.HelmDeploy{
 	Releases: []latest.HelmRelease{{
 		Name:      "skaffold-helm",
@@ -507,6 +516,13 @@ func TestHelmDeploy(t *testing.T) {
 			runContext: makeRunContext(testDeploySkipBuildDependencies, false),
 			builds:     testBuilds,
 		},
+		{
+			description: "deploy success when `upgradeOnChange: false` and does not upgrade",
+			commands: testutil.
+				CmdRunWithOutput("helm version", version21).
+				AndRun("helm --kube-context kubecontext get skaffold-helm-upgradeOnChange --kubeconfig kubeconfig"),
+			runContext: makeRunContext(testDeployUpgradeOnChange, false),
+		},
 		{