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Argo CD GitOps Development
Kubernetes deployments driven by what is in Git, with the cluster continuously reconciled to match it.
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What Argo CD is
Argo CD is a continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes built on GitOps. The desired state of your applications lives in a Git repository, and Argo CD runs inside the cluster, compares it with what is actually running, and brings the cluster into line.
This is the pull model. A conventional pipeline pushes changes to the cluster with credentials held by the CI system. With Argo CD the cluster pulls its own state, so CI does not need cluster-admin credentials and Git history becomes the deployment audit trail.
We take on Argo CD per engagement, usually alongside Kubernetes work. It is not part of the stack we run for our own projects.
Suitability
And when it is not. Choosing the wrong tool costs more than any implementation detail.
Good fit for
- Kubernetes platforms with several services or environments where consistency and auditability matter
- Teams that want rollbacks to be a Git revert and drift from manual changes to be visible
- Organisations that do not want CI systems holding broad credentials to production clusters
- Multi-cluster setups managed from a single set of declarative definitions
Consider alternatives for
- Applications not running on Kubernetes, where there is nothing for it to reconcile
- A single small service with simple deploys, where the extra moving parts cost more than they save
- Teams not yet comfortable operating Kubernetes itself, since Argo CD adds another system to understand
In practice
01
GitOps repository design
Structuring config repositories and environments with Helm or Kustomize, so promotion from staging to production is a reviewed change.
02
Automated sync with guardrails
Automatic sync where it is safe and manual approval where it is not, with health checks and sync waves that order dependent resources.
03
Secrets and drift handling
An approach to secrets that does not put plaintext in Git, and a clear policy on what happens when someone changes the cluster by hand.
Considerations
Practical notes from running this in production.
- 01
Secrets are the awkward part of GitOps. Sealed secrets or an external secrets operator is needed, since you cannot commit them in the clear.
- 02
CI and CD become separate stages. CI builds and pushes an image, then updates the config repository, and the handoff between the two needs to be designed.
- 03
Auto-sync with pruning can delete resources you meant to keep. Enable it deliberately, environment by environment.
- 04
Argo CD itself is a critical component with powerful access to your cluster. It needs the same access control and upgrade discipline as the cluster.
FAQ
What is the difference between GitOps and a normal CI/CD pipeline?
In a normal pipeline, CI pushes a deploy to the cluster. In GitOps, Git holds the desired state and an in-cluster controller pulls and reconciles it. The result is a clearer audit trail and no deploy credentials stored in CI.
Argo CD or Flux?
Both implement GitOps for Kubernetes. Argo CD has a strong web interface for seeing application state; Flux is more of a set of controllers. The better fit depends on your team and tooling preferences.
Do you have Argo CD in your own production stack?
It is not part of the stack we run ourselves. We take it on per engagement alongside Kubernetes work, and we will be direct during scoping about what that involves.
How long does a Argo CD development project take?
It depends on scope. A focused first release is usually weeks rather than months, while larger platforms are delivered in phases. We give a written estimate after a short discovery conversation and agree milestones before work starts.
How is Argo CD development work priced?
We work either to a fixed scope with agreed milestones or on a time-and-materials basis, whichever suits how well the requirements are known. You receive the estimate and its assumptions in writing before committing.
By industry
Where we apply Argo CD. Tiles marked "Guide" open a dedicated write-up; the rest open the industry page.
Let’s talk about your Argo CD project
Tell us what you are trying to build or fix. We will come back with scope, approach and an honest view on cost and timeline.