using helm and kubectl to deploy ccdt

 The error Error: YAML parse error converting YAML to JSON did not find expected key when using kubectl apply strongly suggests that the YAML file you are feeding directly to kubectl is not valid Kubernetes YAML.

The core issue is most likely this:  does not understand Helm templating syntax (

Helm templating functions like {{ tpl (Values.mqCcdt) . }} are processed by the Helm engine, not by kubectl. You cannot directly apply a Helm template file containing {{ ... }} using kubectl apply.

Here's a breakdown of potential causes and how to fix them:

Cause 1: Applying a Helm Template Directly with 

You are probably running a command like:

kubectl apply -f configmap.yaml

Use code with caution.Bash

Where configmap.yaml literally contains:

apiVersion: v1
kind: ConfigMap
metadata:
  name: my-mq-config
data:
  ccdt.json: |
    {{ tpl (.Values.mqCcdt) . | indent 4 }}
  # other data keys maybe...

Use code with caution.Yaml

Solution: You need to render the Helm template into valid Kubernetes YAML before applying it.

1. Use  This command renders your chart templates locally without installing anything.

   # Go to your Helm chart directory
   cd /path/to/your/chart
   
   # Render the template (replace 'my-release' and '.' with your release name and chart path)
   helm template my-release . --values values.yaml > rendered-output.yaml
   
   # Inspect the rendered-output.yaml. Look for the ConfigMap section.
   # Verify that the ccdt.json key has valid, properly indented YAML/JSON content.
   cat rendered-output.yaml | grep -A 10 ccdt.json # (Adjust -A 10 as needed)
   
   # If rendered-output.yaml looks correct, apply it
   kubectl apply -f rendered-output.yaml

   Use code with caution.Bash

2. Use  This is the standard way to deploy Helm charts. Helm handles the templating and applies the resulting manifests to Kubernetes.

   # Install a new release
   helm install my-release . --values values.yaml
   
   # Or upgrade an existing release
   helm upgrade my-release . --values values.yaml

   Use code with caution.Bash

Cause 2: Invalid YAML/JSON Content within 

The tpl function processes the string Values.mqCcdt as if it were another Helm template. If the content of Values.mqCcdt in your values.yaml file, after being processed by , results in invalid YAML or JSON structure, this error can occur even when using Helm correctly.

• Check your  Examine the content assigned to mqCcdt.

  # values.yaml
  mqCcdt: |
    {
      "channel": [
        {
          "name": "{{ .Values.someOtherValue }}", // Example templating within mqCcdt
          "clientConnection": {
            "connection": [
              {
                "host": "mq.example.com",
                "port": 1414
              }
            ],
            "queueManager": "QM1"
          },
          "transmissionSecurity": {
            "cipherSpecification": "ANY_TLS12_OR_HIGHER"
          },
          "type": "clientConnection"
        }
      ]
    }
    # --- OR ---
  mqCcdt: |-
    # Check indentation and syntax carefully here
    someKey: value
    anotherKey:
      nestedKey: "value" # Ensure quotes are correct if needed
      # Make sure colons, indentation are perfect YAML

  Use code with caution.Yaml

• Validate the content: Copy the raw content of mqCcdt (before tpl processes it, if it contains further {{}}) and paste it into a YAML or JSON validator to ensure its basic structure is correct.

• Mind the  tpl renders the string in the current context (.). If mqCcdt itself contains Helm templating ({{ .Values... }}), ensure those values exist and render correctly.

Cause 3: Incorrect Indentation from 

While | indent 4 should indent the output correctly, if the output of tpl (.Values.mqCcdt) . itself has leading/trailing whitespace or inconsistent internal indentation, the final result after applying | indent 4 might still be invalid YAML relative to the ccdt.json: key.

• Use  Render the template as shown in Cause 1.

• Examine the rendered output: Carefully check the indentation under ccdt.json:. It should be consistently indented by 4 spaces relative to ccdt.json:.

# Correctly rendered example
apiVersion: v1
kind: ConfigMap
metadata:
  name: my-mq-config
data:
  ccdt.json: |    # The pipe | indicates a literal block scalar
    # Content from mqCcdt starts here, indented 4 spaces
    {
      "channel": [
        {
          # ... rest of the content ...
        }
      ]
    }

Use code with caution.Yaml

Debugging Steps:

1. Isolate: Create the simplest possible configmap.yaml and values.yaml that reproduce the error.

2. Render: Use helm template . > rendered.yaml. This is crucial.

3. Inspect: Carefully examine rendered.yaml. Look specifically at the data: section of your ConfigMap. Is the content under your key (ccdt.json:) valid YAML/JSON? Is the indentation correct?

4. Validate: Copy the rendered data content (the part that came from tpl) and paste it into a YAML validator (like YAML Lint or an IDE plugin).

5. Check  Ensure mqCcdt exists and contains the string you expect. Validate its content separately if it's complex YAML/JSON.

By following these steps, you should be able to pinpoint whether the issue is trying to use kubectl on a template file or if there's an issue with the content being templated by tpl.