How Do I Deploy a Kubernetes Argoproj.io Application?

Introduction

In this guide, we will explore how to deploy a Kubernetes application using ArgoCD, a part of the argoproj.io suite, with Pulumi. ArgoCD is a powerful declarative GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes that enables automated deployment and management of applications. Our objective is to create a Kubernetes namespace, deploy ArgoCD, and use it to manage a sample application, thereby demonstrating a practical approach to GitOps.

Step-by-Step Deployment Process

1. Create a Kubernetes Namespace for ArgoCD: Begin by establishing a dedicated Kubernetes namespace where ArgoCD will be deployed. This isolation helps manage resources effectively.

2. Deploy ArgoCD Using a Helm Chart: Utilize Helm, a package manager for Kubernetes, to deploy ArgoCD. This step involves fetching the ArgoCD Helm chart and installing it in the namespace created earlier.

3. Configure ArgoCD to Manage a Sample Application: Set up ArgoCD to manage a sample application by defining an ArgoCD Application resource. This configuration specifies the source repository, target revision, and the destination namespace where the application will be deployed.

import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";
import * as k8s from "@pulumi/kubernetes";

// Create a Kubernetes namespace for ArgoCD
const argocdNamespace = new k8s.core.v1.Namespace("argocd-namespace", {
    metadata: { name: "argocd" },
});

// Deploy ArgoCD using Helm chart
const argoCdChart = new k8s.helm.v3.Chart("argo-cd", {
    chart: "argo-cd",
    version: "3.23.0",
    fetchOpts: { repo: "https://argoproj.github.io/argo-helm" },
    namespace: argocdNamespace.metadata.name,
    values: {
        server: {
            service: {
                type: "LoadBalancer",
            },
        },
    },
});

// Create a Kubernetes namespace for the sample application
const appNamespace = new k8s.core.v1.Namespace("app-namespace", {
    metadata: { name: "sample-app" },
});

// Define the ArgoCD Application to manage the sample application
const app = new k8s.apiextensions.CustomResource("sample-app", {
    apiVersion: "argoproj.io/v1alpha1",
    kind: "Application",
    metadata: {
        namespace: argocdNamespace.metadata.name,
        name: "sample-app",
    },
    spec: {
        project: "default",
        source: {
            repoURL: "https://github.com/argoproj/argocd-example-apps",
            targetRevision: "HEAD",
            path: "guestbook",
        },
        destination: {
            server: "https://kubernetes.default.svc",
            namespace: appNamespace.metadata.name,
        },
        syncPolicy: {
            automated: {
                prune: true,
                selfHeal: true,
            },
        },
    },
});

export const argoCdUrl = argoCdChart.getResource("v1/Service", "argocd/argocd-server").status.loadBalancer.ingress[0].hostname;

Key Points

• Namespace Isolation: Establish distinct namespaces for ArgoCD and the application to streamline resource management.
• Helm Utilization: Deploy ArgoCD efficiently using Helm charts, leveraging its robust package management capabilities.
• GitOps Configuration: Configure ArgoCD to automate the deployment and management of a sample application, enabling continuous delivery practices.

Conclusion

In this guide, we successfully deployed a Kubernetes application using ArgoCD with Pulumi. By creating separate namespaces, deploying ArgoCD via Helm, and configuring it to manage a sample application, we demonstrated a practical application of GitOps principles. This setup provides a scalable and automated approach to managing Kubernetes applications, reinforcing the importance of infrastructure as code and continuous delivery in modern cloud environments.