What it does
Argo CD is a declarative continuous-delivery controller for Kubernetes. It watches application definitions in a Git repository and helps operators compare the desired state with a cluster, then sync changes. It handles the deployment and reconciliation part of a delivery workflow; it does not build the application image or replace the CI system that runs tests.
The getting-started guide walks through installing Argo CD, logging in, registering a cluster when needed, creating an application from a Git repository, and syncing that application. For a small lab, start with a sample repository and a non-production cluster so you can see how Git configuration and cluster state compare.
The important workflow boundary is GitOps delivery: a CI job can build and publish an image, while Argo CD observes the desired Kubernetes configuration and applies it to the target cluster. The setup therefore needs a reachable Kubernetes cluster, repository access, and a plan for credentials and sync policy. The official project repository uses Apache 2.0, and the license applies to the project code rather than any managed service a company might offer around it.
Strengths
- The guide covers installation, cluster registration, application creation from Git, and sync.
- Argo CD reconciles Kubernetes applications against declared configuration.
- The official repository uses Apache 2.0.
Watch out for
- A Kubernetes cluster and a reachable application repository are prerequisites.
- Argo CD handles deployment reconciliation, not application compilation or test execution.
Best for
- Deploying Kubernetes manifests from a GitOps workflow
- Separating application build jobs from cluster deployment and reconciliation
Sources
- Getting Started - Argo CD (Oct 25, 2026)
- argo-cd/LICENSE at master | GitHub (Oct 25, 2026)