Argo CD¶

Learn how and why deployKF uses Argo CD. Learn how to use your existing Argo CD with deployKF and Kubeflow.

What is Argo CD?¶

Argo CD is an extremely widely-used tool that helps you programmatically manage the applications deployed on a Kubernetes cluster.

Argo CD Applications¶

The main config for Argo CD is the Application, a Kubernetes custom resource that specifies Kubernetes manifests for Argo CD to deploy and manage (typically from a git repository).

An "app of apps" is a pattern where a single Argo CD Application contains other Application definitions, this is typically done to make bootstrapping large applications easier.

Argo CD Interfaces¶

The Argo CD Web Interface lets you visually manage your cluster, allowing you to view and make changes to Kubernetes resources (including Applications). While the CLI and REST API allow you to manage everything programmatically.

The ArgoCD Web UI allows you to view and manage your cluster.

How does deployKF use Argo CD?¶

Argo CD is a core part of deployKF, it helps us manage the lifecycle and state of all components in the platform. For example, we use Argo CD for:

• Applying manifests to the cluster, in a defined order
• Detecting when applications are out-of-sync
• Syncing applications to their desired state
• Pruning old manifests which are no longer needed
• Programmatically managing all of the above

What is the deployKF ArgoCD Plugin?¶

The deployKF ArgoCD Plugin is an optional part of deployKF which removes the need to commit manifests to a Git repository. The plugin adds a special kind of Argo CD Application that produces deployKF manifests internally, similar to how Helm charts are used in Argo CD.

With the plugin, you manage the whole platform from a single "app of apps" Application whose specification only needs your values, and a specified source version of deployKF. For an example of this, see this section of the local quickstart.

Can I use <other tool> instead of Argo CD?¶

Not yet.

While we believe that Argo CD is currently the best in its category, we recognize that it's not the only option. In the future, we may support other Kubernetes GitOps tools (like Flux CD), or even build a deployKF-specific solution.

deployKF will make your MLOps life so much easier, that it's still worth using, even if you don't already love Argo CD. If you want, you can largely treat Argo CD as a "black box" and just use the provided sync scripts to manage the platform.

Can I use my existing Argo CD?¶

Yes, you must.

See our version matrix for a list of supported Argo CD versions, then follow the Getting Started guide to install deployKF with your existing Argo CD.

Can I use an off-cluster ArgoCD?¶

Yes. deployKF supports the Argo CD "management cluster" pattern, where multiple target clusters are managed by a single Argo CD.

argocd:
  ## a prefix to use for argocd application names
  appNamePrefix: "cluster1-"

  ## the destination used for deployKF argocd applications
  destination:
    name: "my-cluster1"

apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: {argocd.appNamePrefix}deploykf-app-of-apps
  namespace: argocd
  labels:
    app.kubernetes.io/name: deploykf-app-of-apps
    app.kubernetes.io/part-of: {argocd.appNamePrefix}deploykf
spec:
  ## NOTE: This project ONLY applies to the app-of-apps itself, not the internal Applications.
  ##       It needs to create Applications in the management cluster and Namespaces in the target.
  ##       The project used by internal Applications is set by the `argocd.project` value.
  project: default

  source:
    ...
    ...
    ...

  destination:
    ## OPTION 1: target the management cluster with `server`
    server: "https://kubernetes.default.svc"

    ## OPTION 2: target the management cluster with `name`
    #name: "in-cluster"

ARGOCD_APP_NAME_PREFIX="cluster1-"