ArgoCD¶

ArgoCD is a declarative, GitOps-based Continuous Delivery (CD) tool for Kubernetes. It continuously monitors a Git repository and reconciles the live state of your cluster with the desired state declared in Git.

Why ArgoCD Exists¶

Traditional CI/CD pipelines push changes imperatively (kubectl apply, helm upgrade). ArgoCD flips this model:

Git is the single source of truth for what should run in the cluster
ArgoCD pulls the desired state from Git and applies it automatically
Any drift between Git and the cluster is detected and (optionally) auto-corrected

Folder Structure¶

File	What It Covers
`argocd-guide.md`	Core concepts: architecture, components, how ArgoCD works end-to-end
`application.md`	Deep dive into the `Application` CRD — every field explained
`sync-strategies.md`	Sync policies, automation, image updater, multi-source, and GitOps repo patterns
`quick-ref.md`	Cheat sheet — install command, key CLI commands, manifest skeletons

Where ArgoCD Fits in the Big Picture¶

Developer
   │
   ▼
Source Code Repo  ──► CI Pipeline (build, test, push image)
                                        │
                                        ▼
                          CD Manifests Repo (Helm / Kustomize / plain YAML)
                                        │
                                        ▼  (ArgoCD watches this repo)
                                   ArgoCD
                                        │
                                        ▼
                              Kubernetes Cluster

ArgoCD lives between the CD manifests repo and the cluster. It does NOT build images — that is CI's job.