What is GitOps?
“GitOps enables teams to automate infrastructure and application deployments, reducing manual processes and human error, leading to faster and more reliable deployments of applications and infrastructure. It also promotes collaboration, visibility, and version control, resulting in enhanced security, audit trails, and more efficient DevOps practices.”
Introduction
What is the difference between just using Git and Gitops?
The key difference between using Git alone and using GitOps is that GitOps treats the Git repository as the source of truth for infrastructure and deployment configurations, in addition to application code. This means that any changes to the infrastructure or deployment configuration must go through the Git repository, rather than being made directly in the production environment.
An example
In GitOps, engineers can define the desired state of the infrastructure and applications in Git, and then use automation to ensure that the actual state matches the desired state. This helps to reduce human errors and makes it easier to manage complex infrastructure and deployment scenarios.
GitOps provides a more structured and automated approach to managing infrastructure and deployments and allows for greater control and transparency over the software delivery process.
Here’s an example of how GitOps can be used in a typical DevOps workflow:
- A developer makes changes to an application or infrastructure configuration and commits the changes to a Git repository.
- A GitOps tool such as Argo CD, Flux CD, or Jenkins X detects the changes and deploys them to the target environment, such as a Kubernetes cluster.
- The GitOps tool monitors the state of the deployed configuration and compares it to the desired state defined in the Git repository.
- If the deployed state deviates from the desired state, the GitOps tool automatically corrects it by applying the changes defined in the Git repository.
- The developer can review the status of the deployment and any errors or warnings that occur, using the GitOps tool’s monitoring and logging capabilities.
This GitOps workflow provides a reliable and automated way to manage infrastructure and application deployments, with version control, audit trails, and visibility into changes and their impact on the deployed system.
GitOps and Enhanced Security
GitOps can enhance security in DevOps practices by providing better control and audit trails of infrastructure and application configurations. By defining and versioning configuration changes in Git, GitOps enables teams to track changes, review them, and revert them if necessary. This can help prevent unauthorized changes and reduce the risk of security vulnerabilities being introduced into the system. Additionally, GitOps enables teams to implement automated security checks as part of the deployment process, such as vulnerability scanning or compliance checks, which can help identify and remediate security issues before they become a problem. Overall, GitOps can help promote better security practices in DevOps by providing visibility, control, and automation over infrastructure and application configurations.
Tooling
GitOps can be used with a variety of tools and platforms depending on the specific needs and requirements of the project. Here are some examples of popular GitOps tools:
- Argo CD: a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes.
- Flux CD: a GitOps tool that automates the deployment and lifecycle management of applications on Kubernetes.
- GitLab: a Git-based DevOps platform that includes built-in GitOps capabilities.
- CircleCI: a continuous integration and delivery platform that supports GitOps workflows.
These tools provide different levels of support for GitOps workflows, from basic integration with Git repositories to full automation of infrastructure and application deployments.
How Adroit can help
At Adroit, we recognise the importance of implementing GitOps as a secure and efficient methodology for software delivery. Our team of engineers can assist your organisation in implementing GitOps in a way that prioritises security and mitigates the risks of security threats in your DevOps pipeline.
Adroit works closely with clients to ensure that their GitOps implementations include the best security practices, tailored to their specific needs. If you have upcoming GitOps projects or are concerned about security in your current pipelines, we can advise you on the best security practices and help you implement security measures that are scalable, compliant, and robust.
By partnering with us, organisations can be assured that their software development process is secure and efficient, with a focus on automation and compliance. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us to learn more about how we can help you implement GitOps and improve your software delivery process.