Argo CD: Previewing Pull Request Changes in SECONDS!

As organizations increasingly adopt GitOps, accurately visualizing manifest changes before they merge has become crucial.

At ArgoCon 2024 we presented a method that used ephemeral clusters to render precise diffs on pull requests – it was accurate but slow. This talk introduces a new approach that keeps the accuracy but reduces the wait time from minutes to seconds! Instead of spinning up a new cluster for every PR, we connect each preview to a pre-configured Argo CD instance on standby.

The talk will showcase how this is used at Egmont to visualize manifest changes across repositories with hundreds of applications in just seconds, and how developers at Tango integrate this technique into their CI/CD pipeline to preview changes to 1,900 applications across 25+ clusters.

We will also explore how this approach fits into the broader ecosystem by comparing it with the Argo CD Source Hydrator feature and the GitOps Promoter project, looking at where each one shines and the tradeoffs involved.

Through real-world examples, Argo CD admins will learn how to set up accurate and fast diff previews on their pull requests, resulting in faster code reviews, shorter feedback loops, and fewer failed deployments.

Lernziele

You learn

• how to set up accurate and fast diff previews on your PRs to ensure faster code reviews, shorter feedback loops, and fewer failed deployments