fix!: do not uninstall helm chart after failed install or upgrade

site/src/content/docs/ref/deploy.mdx

@@ -120,3 +120,43 @@ $ zarf connect [service name]
 You can also specify a package locally, or via oci such as `zarf package deploy oci://defenseunicorns/dos-games:1.0.0-$(uname -m) --key=https://zarf.dev/cosign.pub`
 
 :::
+
+## Installing, Upgrading, and Rolling Back with Helm
+
+Zarf deploys resources in Kubernetes using [Helm's Go SDK](https://helm.sh/docs/topics/advanced/#go-sdk), and converts manifests into Helm charts for installation.
+
+If no existing Helm releases match a given chart in the cluster, Zarf executes a `helm install`.
+
+Should matching releases exist, a `helm upgrade` is performed.
+
+### Handling CustomResourceDefinitions (CRDs)
+
+   - CRDs are _included_ during `helm install` to support Kubernetes Operator deployments
+   - CRDs are _excluded_ during `helm upgrade` due to [Helm's lack of support for upgrading CRDs](https://helm.sh/docs/chart_best_practices/custom_resource_definitions/#some-caveats-and-explanations)
+
+### Waiting for Resource Readiness
+
+By default, Zarf waits for all resources to deploy successfully during install, upgrade, and rollback operations.
+
+You can override this behavior during install and upgrade by setting the `noWait: true` key under the `charts` and `manifests` fields.
+
+### Timeout Settings
+
+The default timeout for Helm operations in Zarf is 15 minutes.
+
+Use the `--timeout` flag with `zarf init` and `zarf package deploy` to modify the timeout duration.
+
+### Retry Policy
+
+Zarf retries install and upgrade operations up to three times by default if an error occurs.
+
+Use the `--retries` flag with `zarf init` and `zarf package deploy` to change the number of retry attempts.
+
+### Rollback Process
+
+If attempts to upgrade a chart fail, Zarf tries to roll the chart back to its last successful release.
+
+Key features of Zarf's `helm rollback` include:
+
+   - Deleting newly created resources if a rollback fails (`helm rollback --cleanup-on-fail`)
+   - Forcing updates by deleting and recreating resources as necessary (`helm rollback --force`)

src/internal/packager/helm/chart.go

@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func (h *Helm) InstallOrUpgradeChart() (types.ConnectStrings, string, error) {
 		}
 
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("unable to complete the helm chart install/upgrade: %w", err)
+			return err
 		}
 
 		message.Debug(output.Info.Description)
@@ -92,7 +92,6 @@ func (h *Helm) InstallOrUpgradeChart() (types.ConnectStrings, string, error) {
 
 	err = helpers.Retry(tryHelm, h.retries, 5*time.Second, message.Warnf)
 	if err != nil {
-		// Try to rollback any deployed releases
 		releases, _ := histClient.Run(h.chart.ReleaseName)
 		previouslyDeployedVersion := 0
 
@@ -103,25 +102,21 @@ func (h *Helm) InstallOrUpgradeChart() (types.ConnectStrings, string, error) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		// On total failure try to rollback (if there was a previously deployed version) or uninstall.
-		if previouslyDeployedVersion > 0 {
-			spinner.Updatef("Performing chart rollback")
-
-			err = h.rollbackChart(h.chart.ReleaseName, previouslyDeployedVersion)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("unable to upgrade chart after %d attempts and unable to rollback: %w", h.retries, err)
-			}
+		removeMsg := "if you need to remove the failed chart, use `zarf package remove`"
 
-			return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("unable to upgrade chart after %d attempts", h.retries)
+		// No prior releases means this was an initial install.
+		if previouslyDeployedVersion == 0 {
+			return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("unable to install chart after %d attempts: %s", h.retries, removeMsg)
 		}
 
-		spinner.Updatef("Performing chart uninstall")
-		_, err = h.uninstallChart(h.chart.ReleaseName)
+		// Attempt to rollback on a failed upgrade.
+		spinner.Updatef("Performing chart rollback")
+		err = h.rollbackChart(h.chart.ReleaseName, previouslyDeployedVersion)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("unable to install chart after %d attempts and unable to uninstall: %w", h.retries, err)
+			return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("unable to upgrade chart after %d attempts and unable to rollback: %s", h.retries, removeMsg)
 		}
 
-		return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("unable to install chart after %d attempts", h.retries)
+		return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("unable to upgrade chart after %d attempts: %s", h.retries, removeMsg)
 	}
 
 	// return any collected connect strings for zarf connect.

src/pkg/packager/deploy.go

@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ func (p *Packager) deployComponent(component types.ZarfComponent, noImgChecksum
 
 	if hasCharts || hasManifests {
 		if charts, err = p.installChartAndManifests(componentPath, component); err != nil {
-			return charts, fmt.Errorf("unable to install helm chart(s): %w", err)
+			return charts, err
 		}
 	}
 

src/test/e2e/25_helm_test.go

@@ -130,16 +130,19 @@ func testHelmUninstallRollback(t *testing.T) {
 	// This package contains SBOMable things but was created with --skip-sbom
 	require.Contains(t, string(stdErr), "This package does NOT contain an SBOM.")
 
-	// Ensure that this does not leave behind a dos-games chart
+	// Ensure this leaves behind a dos-games chart.
+	// We do not want to uninstall charts that had failed installs/upgrades
+	// to prevent unintentional deletion and/or data loss in production environments.
+	// https://github.com/defenseunicorns/zarf/issues/2455
 	helmOut, err := exec.Command("helm", "list", "-n", "dos-games").Output()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotContains(t, string(helmOut), "zarf-f53a99d4a4dd9a3575bedf59cd42d48d751ae866")
+	require.Contains(t, string(helmOut), "zarf-f53a99d4a4dd9a3575bedf59cd42d48d751ae866")
 
 	// Deploy the good package.
 	stdOut, stdErr, err = e2e.Zarf("package", "deploy", goodPath, "--confirm")
 	require.NoError(t, err, stdOut, stdErr)
 
-	// Ensure that this does create a dos-games chart
+	// Ensure this upgrades/fixes the dos-games chart.
 	helmOut, err = exec.Command("helm", "list", "-n", "dos-games").Output()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Contains(t, string(helmOut), "zarf-f53a99d4a4dd9a3575bedf59cd42d48d751ae866")
@@ -151,7 +154,7 @@ func testHelmUninstallRollback(t *testing.T) {
 	// Ensure that we rollback properly
 	helmOut, err = exec.Command("helm", "history", "-n", "dos-games", "zarf-f53a99d4a4dd9a3575bedf59cd42d48d751ae866", "--max", "1").Output()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.Contains(t, string(helmOut), "Rollback to 1")
+	require.Contains(t, string(helmOut), "Rollback to 4")
 
 	// Deploy the evil package (again to ensure we check full history)
 	stdOut, stdErr, err = e2e.Zarf("package", "deploy", evilPath, "--timeout", "10s", "--confirm")
@@ -160,7 +163,7 @@ func testHelmUninstallRollback(t *testing.T) {
 	// Ensure that we rollback properly
 	helmOut, err = exec.Command("helm", "history", "-n", "dos-games", "zarf-f53a99d4a4dd9a3575bedf59cd42d48d751ae866", "--max", "1").Output()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.Contains(t, string(helmOut), "Rollback to 5")
+	require.Contains(t, string(helmOut), "Rollback to 8")
 
 	// Remove the package.
 	stdOut, stdErr, err = e2e.Zarf("package", "remove", "dos-games", "--confirm")

src/test/e2e/36_custom_retries_test.go

@@ -28,5 +28,8 @@ func TestRetries(t *testing.T) {
 	stdOut, stdErr, err = e2e.Zarf("package", "deploy", path.Join(tmpDir, pkgName), "--retries", "2", "--timeout", "3s", "--tmpdir", tmpDir, "--confirm")
 	require.Error(t, err, stdOut, stdErr)
 	require.Contains(t, stdErr, "Retrying in 5s")
-	require.Contains(t, stdErr, "unable to install chart after 2 attempts")
+	require.Contains(t, e2e.StripMessageFormatting(stdErr), "unable to install chart after 2 attempts")
+
+	_, _, err = e2e.Zarf("package", "remove", "dos-games", "--confirm")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 }