Merge pull request #586 from dminnear-rh/patternizer-blog

add blog post to introduce patternizer tool

Author: beekhof

content/blog/2025-07-24-introducing-patternizer.adoc

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+---
+ date: 2025-07-24
+ title: From Helm Charts to Validated Patterns in a Single Command
+ summary: This post introduces Patternizer, a new tool to simplify pattern authoring. Learn how to convert your Helm charts into a deployable Validated Pattern by generating all required scaffolding with a single command.
+ author: Drew Minnear
+ blog_tags:
+ - patterns
+ - announce
+ - patternizer
+---
+:toc:
+:imagesdir: /images
+
+Validated Patterns provide a powerful, GitOps-based framework for deploying complex cloud-native applications. We have great resources on our link:https://validatedpatterns.io/learn/[Learn] and link:https://play.validatedpatterns.io/vp-workshop/main/index.html[Workshop] pages, but the initial learning curve can seem steep.
+
+For developers who just want to package their applications as a pattern, the most common route has been to clone the `multicloud-gitops` repository and adapt it. While effective, this process can be a hurdle for a prospective author who simply wants to know: "How can I turn my Helm charts into a pattern as quickly and painlessly as possible?"
+
+To bridge this gap, we are thrilled to introduce **link:https://github.com/validatedpatterns/patternizer[Patternizer]**—a new command-line tool designed specifically to address this pain point.
+
+== The Solution: Patternizer
+
+Patternizer is a CLI tool that bootstraps a Git repository containing Helm charts into a ready-to-use Validated Pattern. It automatically generates the necessary scaffolding, configuration files, and utility scripts, so you can get your pattern up and running in minutes.
+
+With Patternizer, you can go from a directory of Helm charts to a fully functional Validated Pattern with a single command.
+
+== Getting Started: A Quick Workflow
+
+Let's walk through an example. All you need is a Git repository containing one or more Helm charts and a container runtime like Podman or Docker.
+
+. **Prepare your repository:**
++
+Clone your repository and create a new branch for the pattern initialization.
++
+[source,bash]
+----
+git clone https://github.com/your-org/your-awesome-app.git
+cd your-awesome-app
+git checkout -b feature/initialize-pattern
+----
+
+. **Initialize the pattern:**
++
+Navigate to your repository's root and run the Patternizer container, mounting your current directory.
++
+[source,bash]
+----
+podman run -v "$PWD:/repo:z" quay.io/hybridcloudpatterns/patternizer init
+----
++
+This single command scans your repository for Helm charts and generates all the necessary files to turn it into a Validated Pattern.
+
+. **Review and commit:**
++
+Commit the newly generated files to your branch.
++
+[source,bash]
+----
+git add .
+git commit -m 'feat: Initialize Validated Pattern with Patternizer'
+git push -u origin feature/initialize-pattern
+----
+
+. **Install your new pattern!**
++
+Patternizer also generates a handy utility script. You can now install your pattern just like any other Validated Pattern.
++
+[source,bash]
+----
+./pattern.sh make install
+----
+
+== Under the Hood: What You Get
+
+Running `patternizer init` creates a set of files that form the foundation of your pattern:
+
+* `pattern.sh`: A utility script for common operations like `install` and `upgrade`.
+* `Makefile` & `Makefile-pattern`: The core Makefiles with all the pattern-related build logic.
+* `values-global.yaml`: A place for global pattern configuration.
+* `values-prod.yaml`: A cluster group-specific values file (for the default `prod` group).
+
+The tool is designed to be idempotent. You can continue adding Helm charts to your repository and just rerun the `init` command. It will intelligently update the necessary values files while preserving any manual changes you've made.
+
+== Need Secrets? We've Got You Covered
+
+When your pattern is ready to handle sensitive information, you can easily add scaffolding for secrets management.
+
+Run the `init` command with the `--with-secrets` flag:
+
+[source,bash]
+----
+podman run -v "$PWD:/repo:z" quay.io/hybridcloudpatterns/patternizer init --with-secrets
+----
+
+This command updates your configuration to integrate with External Secrets Operator (ESO) and Vault. It generates a `values-secret.yaml.template` for defining your secrets and automatically adds the required operator subscriptions to your pattern.
+
+== Current Scope and Future Direction
+
+Patternizer is in its infancy, and its initial focus is on solving the Helm-to-Pattern problem. As such, there are a few things to keep in mind:
+
+. **Helm-Based Patterns Only:** The tool is currently designed exclusively for creating patterns from Helm charts. If you need an Ansible-based GitOps pattern, this tool will not be helpful.
+
+. **Operators Need Manual Addition:** Patternizer creates the Argo CD `Applications`, `Namespaces`, and `Projects` for your Helm charts. If your pattern requires Operators from OperatorHub, you will need to manually add them to the `subscriptions` section in your cluster group values file (e.g., `values-prod.yaml`). Patternizer conveniently creates this section as an empty map for you.
+
+. **Single Cluster Group Focus:** The tool generates a single cluster group named `prod` by default. If your use case requires managing multiple, distinct cluster groups, we recommend the traditional approach of cloning the `multicloud-gitops` pattern for now.
+
+== We Want Your Feedback!
+
+Patternizer is a simple tool today, but it is extendable to cover more use cases if the need arises. We built it to make your life easier, and your feedback is crucial.
+
+Please give it a try and don't hesitate to ask for features or report bugs on link:https://github.com/validatedpatterns/patternizer/issues[Patternizer's GitHub issues page]. Happy pattern-making!