GitOps Explained

Use Git as the single source of truth for infrastructure — with automated operators that ensure your live environment always matches the declared desired state.

GitOps

GitOps is an operational framework that uses Git repositories as the single source of truth for infrastructure and application configuration, with automated reconciliation ensuring the live environment matches the desired state defined in Git.

Explanation

GitOps extends infrastructure-as-code by making Git the control plane for operations. All infrastructure configuration, Kubernetes manifests, and deployment specifications live in Git. Automated operators (ArgoCD, Flux) continuously compare the live cluster state with the Git repository and automatically reconcile differences. Changes to infrastructure go through pull requests, providing code review, audit trails, and rollback via git revert. This eliminates manual kubectl commands and drift between environments.

Bookuvai Implementation

Bookuvai uses ArgoCD for GitOps-based Kubernetes deployments. All cluster configuration lives in Git, changes go through pull requests with review, and ArgoCD automatically syncs the cluster. This provides full audit history, easy rollback, and eliminates configuration drift.

Key Facts

  • Git is the single source of truth for all infrastructure configuration
  • Automated operators reconcile live state with desired state in Git
  • Changes go through pull requests with review and audit trails
  • ArgoCD and Flux are the leading GitOps tools for Kubernetes
  • Eliminates manual commands and configuration drift

Related Terms

Frequently Asked Questions

How is GitOps different from CI/CD?
CI/CD pushes changes to environments through pipelines. GitOps uses pull-based reconciliation — an operator in the cluster watches Git and pulls changes. GitOps provides continuous reconciliation (fixing drift), not just one-time deployment.
Do I need Kubernetes for GitOps?
GitOps is most mature in the Kubernetes ecosystem, but the principles apply to any infrastructure. Tools are emerging for GitOps with serverless, VMs, and cloud services. Kubernetes is the most natural fit due to its declarative API.
How do I handle secrets in GitOps?
Never store plain-text secrets in Git. Use sealed secrets (encrypted in Git, decrypted in cluster), external secret operators (fetch from AWS Secrets Manager or Vault), or SOPS (encrypt specific fields in YAML files).