GitOps Masterclass: Advanced Argo CD Application Configuration Patterns [Hands-On Workshop]

Video Description

Welcome to the Akuity GitOps Applications Masterclass, hosted by Christian Hernandez (Argo project maintainer and Head of Community at Akuity). In this 90+ minute deep dive, Christian walks you through: - Argo CD Applications 101 - Application sync behavior and best practices - Hands-on workshop with Kubernetes, Helm, and Kustomize - ApplicationSets, environment overlays, and sync impersonation - Live troubleshooting and Q&A Whether you're transitioning from Flux, getting started with GitOps, or already managing production-grade Kubernetes apps, this class will provide actionable guidance, real-world tips, and a look at the latest Argo features. - Download the free early-access book: Argo CD Up and Running - Sign up for the next workshop on EKS + AI + GitOps (June 12): https://landing.akuity.io/webinar/workshop-gitops-automation-on-amazon-eks-with-akuity - Subscribe for future masterclasses and GitOps deep dives: https://youtube.com/@akuityio - Try it Yourself! Workshop Repository: https://github.com/akuity/gitops-masterclass-applications-template - Learn more about Akuity: https://akuity.io/ 💬 Got questions? Drop them in the comments—we’re here to help. Chapters / Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome + Global intros 04:55 – About Akuity + Argo CD origins 08:54 – Masterclass structure + today’s agenda 10:56 – Free GitOps book walkthrough 12:17 – Upcoming workshop on EKS + AI (June 12) 13:10 – What is an Argo CD Application? 19:00 – Application specs and components 26:00 – Sync options + configuration strategy 31:04 – Hidden sync policy gems 35:00 – Resource-level sync annotations 37:00 – App of Apps vs ApplicationSets 39:45 – Hands-on workshop setup with GitHub Codespaces 45:00 – Live Codespaces debugging (Ubuntu repo failure) 52:00 – Workshop recovery + CodeSpaces workaround 56:00 – Argo CD UI access walkthrough 58:00 – Kustomize setup: keeping environments in Git 1:03:40 – Apply apps for dev/stage/prod environments 1:05:00 – Replacing 3 YAMLs with one ApplicationSet 1:07:05 – AppSet generator + live deployment 1:09:30 – Helm values override strategy 1:14:50 – Helm ApplicationSet demo 1:17:40 – Port-forwarding for UI access 1:18:05 – Sync Impersonation (Flux-style) 1:20:00 – Enabling impersonation via config map 1:21:00 – App project setup with impersonation config 1:23:00 – Testing sync failure due to missing namespace 1:25:00 – Creating the namespace + service account 1:27:00 – Adding RBAC roles + bindings 1:30:00 – Granular sync and retry testing 1:34:00 – Best practices for service accounts across namespaces 1:37:00 – Final recap + Subscribe and Discord community info 1:39:30 – Closing + See you June 12! #GitOps #ArgoCD #Akuity #Kubernetes #DevOps #CloudNative