Summary
ArgoCD is a powerful tool that is designed to simplify the deployment of applications to Kubernetes clusters. It allows you to manage your cluster configuration as code, which means you can store it in a Git repository and make changes in a declarative way. But what makes ArgoCD unique is the fact that it’s deployed directly in the Kubernetes cluster and acts as an extension to the Kubernetes API. In this article, we’ll explore the advantages and benefits of using ArgoCD as a Kubernetes extension.
ArgoCD as a Kubernetes Extension
When you deploy ArgoCD in your Kubernetes cluster, it becomes an extension to the Kubernetes API. It leverages Kubernetes resources and uses existing Kubernetes functionalities for doing its job. For instance, it uses the Kubernetes ID for storing the data and uses Kubernetes controllers for monitoring and comparing the actual and desired state of the application.
One of the benefits of using ArgoCD as a Kubernetes extension is the visibility it provides. ArgoCD gives you real-time updates of the application state that other tools, such as Jenkins, do not have. It can monitor the deployment state after the application is deployed or after changes in the cluster configuration have been made. This means that when you deploy a new application version, you can see in real-time in the ArgoCD UI that configuration files were applied, pods were created, and the application is running in a healthy state. In case of a failure, you can quickly detect it and initiate a rollback.
Advantages of Using ArgoCD as a Kubernetes Extension
There are several advantages of using ArgoCD as a Kubernetes extension:
1. Real-time monitoring and updates
As mentioned earlier, ArgoCD provides real-time updates of the application state, which allows you to detect failures and initiate rollbacks quickly.
2. Improved visibility
By acting as an extension to the Kubernetes API, ArgoCD provides improved visibility into the application state, which can be invaluable in troubleshooting and monitoring.
3. Improved security
By running inside the Kubernetes cluster, ArgoCD eliminates the need to expose cluster credentials outside the cluster. This makes managing security in all your Kubernetes clusters much easier.
4. Easy cluster access management
ArgoCD allows you to configure access rules easily. You can define who can initiate or propose changes to the cluster and who can approve and merge those requests. This gives you a clean way of managing cluster permissions indirectly through Git without having to create cluster roles and users for each team member with different access permissions.
5. Benefit of using Git
By using Git to store your cluster configuration, you can make changes in a declarative way and store them as code. This means that you can recreate the same exact state of the cluster in case of a disaster without any intervention from your side.
Conclusion
ArgoCD is a powerful tool that provides several benefits when used as a Kubernetes extension. By leveraging the Kubernetes API and resources, ArgoCD provides real-time monitoring and updates, improved visibility, improved security, easy cluster access management, and the benefit of using Git to manage your cluster configuration. If you’re looking for a tool to simplify your Kubernetes deployment, ArgoCD is definitely worth considering.
