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Argocd Development Workflow

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ArgoCD Development Workflow

Development Approach: Pause ArgoCD for Local Testing

When iterating on Kubernetes configurations managed by ArgoCD, it’s much more efficient to temporarily pause ArgoCD sync and apply changes directly for rapid testing.

Workflow Steps

1. Pause ArgoCD Sync

# Disable automated sync to prevent conflicts
kubectl patch application <app-name> -n argocd --type='merge' -p='{"spec":{"syncPolicy":{"automated":null}}}'

2. Apply Kustomize Directly

# Apply changes directly for immediate testing
kubectl apply -k path/to/kustomize/

3. Iterate and Test

  • Make configuration changes locally
  • Apply directly with kubectl apply -k
  • Test functionality immediately
  • Ensure there’s an e2e test that verifiees the thing is actally working
  • If necessary, delete the namespace and re-apply
  • No need for Git commit/push cycles during development

4. Resume ArgoCD Sync (when ready)

# Re-enable automated sync
kubectl patch application <app-name> -n argocd --type='merge' -p='{"spec":{"syncPolicy":{"automated":{"prune":true,"selfHeal":true}}}}'
 
# Or manually sync once
kubectl patch application <app-name> -n argocd --type='merge' -p='{"metadata":{"annotations":{"argocd.argoproj.io/refresh":"hard"}}}'

Benefits

  • Rapid Iteration: No Git commit/push overhead during development
  • Immediate Feedback: Changes applied instantly for testing
  • Conflict Prevention: Avoids ArgoCD overriding local changes
  • Efficient Development: Focus on functionality, not Git workflow

When to Use

  • Developing new Kargo configurations
  • Testing AnalysisTemplates and verification workflows
  • Debugging Kubernetes resource issues
  • Prototyping complex configurations

When NOT to Use

  • Production environments
  • Shared development environments
  • When changes need to be preserved in Git immediately
  • Final validation before deployment

Example: Kargo Verification Development

# 1. Pause ArgoCD sync
kubectl patch application backstage-kargo -n argocd --type='merge' -p='{"spec":{"syncPolicy":{"automated":null}}}'
 
# 2. Apply and test changes
kubectl apply -k backstage/kustomize/kargo/
 
# 3. Iterate on AnalysisTemplate
# Edit backstage-e2e-verification.yaml
kubectl apply -k backstage/kustomize/kargo/
 
# 4. Test verification
# Create promotion and observe AnalysisRuns
 
# 5. When satisfied, commit to Git and resume ArgoCD
git add . && git commit -m "Add Kargo verification"
git push
kubectl patch application backstage-kargo -n argocd --type='merge' -p='{"spec":{"syncPolicy":{"automated":{"prune":true,"selfHeal":true}}}}'

Best Practices

  • Always document what you’re testing
  • Resume ArgoCD sync when development is complete
  • Commit working configurations to Git
  • Use this approach for development, not production changes
  • Test that ArgoCD can successfully sync the final configuration

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