SAP Kyma is an open-source platform that enables cloud-native application development and extension of SAP solutions. It is built on top of Kubernetes, the leading container orchestration platform, and leverages Helm, the package manager for Kubernetes, to simplify deployment and management of applications and services.
This article explores how SAP Kyma integrates with Kubernetes and Helm to provide a scalable, flexible environment for building modern SAP extensions and microservices.
At its core, Kubernetes is the backbone of SAP Kyma, orchestrating containerized workloads and services. Kubernetes automates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications, making it an ideal platform for the cloud-native architecture that Kyma embodies.
kyma-system) to isolate components and maintain a clean environment.By using Kubernetes, SAP Kyma ensures high availability, scalability, and efficient resource utilization.
Helm is a package manager that simplifies the deployment and management of Kubernetes applications by bundling multiple Kubernetes manifests into a single package called a Helm chart. SAP Kyma uses Helm extensively to deploy its components and to help developers package their applications.
Kyma itself provides Helm charts for all core components, enabling seamless upgrades and consistent deployments.
When installing SAP Kyma, the Kyma CLI internally calls Helm commands to deploy core services, add-ons, and extensions as Helm releases within the Kubernetes cluster.
This tight integration results in an extensible platform where both platform and application code follow Kubernetes and Helm best practices.
Use the Helm CLI to scaffold a new chart:
helm create my-sap-app
This creates a directory with Kubernetes manifests and templating files.
Edit the deployment, service, and other resource files to define your SAP extension or microservice.
Assuming your kubectl context points to your Kyma-enabled Kubernetes cluster:
helm install my-sap-app ./my-sap-app -n default
Check pods and services:
kubectl get pods -n default
kubectl get svc -n default
Your application now runs inside the Kyma environment, benefiting from Kyma’s eventing, service mesh, and API management features.
SAP Kyma leverages Kubernetes and Helm to provide a modern, cloud-native platform ideal for extending SAP solutions. Kubernetes offers the robust orchestration layer, while Helm simplifies deployment and lifecycle management. Understanding these technologies empowers SAP developers and architects to build scalable, maintainable, and efficient extensions within Kyma.
By mastering Kubernetes and Helm in the context of SAP Kyma, organizations can accelerate innovation and realize the full potential of their SAP cloud environments.