What is GitOps?

GitOps is a set of practices that centers around using Git as a single source of truth for declarative infrastructure and applications. It emphasizes using Git pull requests as the primary way to manage infrastructure and application configurations. This methodology is closely associated with Kubernetes but can be applied to various types of infrastructure and application automation.

Core Components of GitOps:

• Version Control: All declarative configuration files that describe infrastructure and applications are stored in a Git repository. This enables version control, full audit trails, and configuration as code.

• Automated Deployment: Continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) tools automatically apply changes when the configuration in the Git repository changes. This automated process ensures that the production environment reflects the state described by the repository.

• Merge Requests for Change Management: Changes to infrastructure or applications are made through changes to code in Git repositories. Merge requests for these changes serve as the primary mechanism for peer review, logging, and tracking of all changes.

• Continuous Monitoring: With GitOps, it's essential to have a monitoring system in place that can detect and alert on discrepancies between the declared state stored in Git and the actual state of the environment. This allows for quick detection and correction of configuration drift or unauthorized changes.

• Reconciliation and Convergence: The system continuously observes the current state of the infrastructure and automatically takes action to reconcile the actual state with the desired state described in the Git repository. This ensures consistency and reliability in the deployment environments.

Benefits and Advantages of Adopting GitOps:

• Version Control and History: Everything is stored in a Git repository, including infrastructure-as-code and configurations. This means changes are version-controlled, providing a complete history of who changed what and when, which is essential for audit trails and rollback capabilities.
• Improved Productivity and Speed: GitOps automates the deployment process, reducing the manual steps required to deploy and manage applications. This results in faster development cycles and quicker deployments, allowing teams to push updates and features more frequently.
• Stronger Security Posture: Using Git repositories as the source of truth adds an additional layer of security. Access to change infrastructure or software can be controlled through Git’s robust access control mechanisms. Moreover, the use of pull requests and code reviews before merging promotes better security practices.
• Better Reliability: GitOps provides a reliable process for application deployment by ensuring that the deployment environment always matches the state described in the Git repository. If a deployment does not meet the expected state, it can be automatically rolled back to the last known good state, minimizing downtime and service disruptions.
• Disaster Recovery: Since the entire system (infrastructure and applications) is codified and versioned in Git, it's easier to restore the system in the event of a disaster. You can redeploy the last known good configuration to any environment, which can significantly reduce recovery times.
• Improved Collaboration: GitOps facilitates better collaboration among team members by using Merge/Pull Requests as a mechanism for reviewing and approving changes. This collaboration is bolstered by the use of standard Git features like branches and tags to manage releases.

Popular GitOps tools that are widely used in the industry to implement GitOps practices:

1. ArgoCD - A declarative, Git-driven continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes.
2. Flux - Another tool that automatically ensures that the state of a Kubernetes cluster matches the config in git. It also monitors all configured repositories and automatically updates the state.
3. Jenkins X - Extends Jenkins to provide continuous integration and continuous delivery in Kubernetes using GitOps principles.
4. Terraform - Although primarily an infrastructure-as-code tool, Terraform can be integrated into GitOps workflows to manage cloud and on-premises resources.

Conclusion:

GitOps uses the power of Git to streamline and secure infrastructure and application management. By integrating Git as the central mechanism for all changes, GitOps improves automation, enhances security, and ensures consistent deployments. This approach boosts team efficiency and reliability, making it a valuable practice for modern DevOps environments aiming to optimize their workflows and embrace continuous improvement.