What is GitOps?

GitOps is an operational framework that uses Git as the single source of truth for managing infrastructure and applications, applying DevOps practices like version control and automation to make deployments declarative, auditable, and self-correcting. It transforms how teams handle infrastructure by treating configuration changes exactly like code changes—through pull requests, reviews, and automated pipelines.

This guide covers how GitOps works, its core principles and benefits, popular tools in the ecosystem, and practical steps for getting started with GitOps in your organization.

What is GitOps

GitOps is an operational framework that uses Git repositories as the single source of truth for managing infrastructure and applications. It applies DevOps best practices like version control, collaboration, and CI/CD to automate deployment, making the process declarative, versioned, and auditable. In practical terms, GitOps turns infrastructure management into a code-driven process where the live environment always matches the declared state stored in Git.

The concept originated at Weaveworks in 2017 and has since become a standard practice for teams working with Kubernetes and cloud-native technologies. Rather than manually configuring servers or running deployment scripts, teams define their desired system state in configuration files stored in Git. Automation then handles the rest.

• Declarative approach: Infrastructure is defined as code in Git repositories, describing what the system looks like rather than scripting how to build it
• Version-controlled: All changes are tracked through Git's native capabilities, making them auditable and reversible
• Automated sync: Systems automatically reconcile to match the Git state without manual intervention

Core GitOps Principles

Four foundational principles define GitOps and distinguish it from traditional deployment approaches. Understanding each principle helps clarify why GitOps works the way it does.

Declarative configuration

With GitOps, you describe what your system looks like, not how to get there. This declarative approach means writing configuration files that specify the desired end state. For example, instead of scripting individual commands, you might write a file stating "run three instances of this application" and let the system figure out the steps.

Version control as single source of truth

The Git repository holds the complete desired state for your entire system. Any approved change to Git triggers deployment, and the repository becomes the authoritative record of what your infrastructure looks like at any point in time. If it's not in Git, it doesn't exist.

Automated deployment through the GitOps pipeline

Once changes merge to Git, they're automatically applied to target environments. This eliminates manual deployment steps and reduces the risk of human error during releases. The pipeline handles building, testing, and deploying without someone clicking buttons or running commands.

Continuous reconciliation

GitOps agents continuously compare the actual state of your systems with the desired state defined in Git. When drift occurs, whether from manual changes or system failures, the agent automatically corrects it. This creates a self-healing infrastructure that maintains consistency without constant oversight.

Key GitOps Benefits

Organizations adopting GitOps typically see improvements across several dimensions of their operations. Here's what changes in practice.

Faster and more frequent deployments

Automated pipelines eliminate manual steps, enabling teams to release changes rapidly. What once took hours of coordination can happen in minutes because the entire process runs without human intervention.

Easy error recovery and rollbacks

Git history allows instant rollback to any previous known-good state. If a deployment causes problems, you can simply revert the Git commit and the system returns to its previous configuration. No scrambling to remember what changed or how to undo it.

Improved security and compliance

All changes require pull requests, creating an audit trail and enforcing review policies. Direct access to production systems becomes unnecessary since Git controls all modifications. This separation reduces the attack surface and simplifies compliance reporting.

Self-documenting infrastructure

Git commits serve as a complete changelog of who changed what and when. This documentation happens automatically as part of the normal workflow, so there's no extra effort to maintain records.

Enhanced team collaboration

Developers and operators use familiar Git workflows for infrastructure changes. Branches, pull requests, and code review become the shared language for both application code and infrastructure configuration. This common approach reduces friction between teams.

How GitOps Works

The GitOps workflow follows a predictable pattern. Developers commit configuration changes to Git, automated systems detect those changes, and deployment operators apply them to target environments. However, there are two distinct models for how deployment happens.

Deployment Model	How It Works	Best For
Push-based	CI/CD pipeline pushes changes to environment after detecting Git changes	Simpler setups, traditional CI/CD tools
Pull-based	Agent in cluster pulls changes from Git and applies them automatically	Kubernetes environments, enhanced security

Push-based deployments

In push-based GitOps, an external CI/CD system like Jenkins or GitHub Actions monitors the Git repository. When changes are detected, the pipeline builds, tests, and pushes those changes to the target environment. The CI/CD system initiates the deployment from outside the target infrastructure.

Pull-based deployments

Pull-based deployments flip this model. An operator running inside the cluster polls the Git repository and pulls changes, applying them automatically. This approach is common with Kubernetes GitOps tools like ArgoCD and Flux. It offers enhanced security since the cluster doesn't expose credentials externally, and the deployment agent lives within the environment it manages.

GitOps vs DevOps

You might wonder how GitOps relates to DevOps. Are they competing approaches? Not quite. GitOps is an evolution that applies DevOps principles specifically to infrastructure and deployment using Git as the control plane.

• DevOps: A broader cultural and technical approach to software delivery emphasizing collaboration, automation, and continuous improvement across development and operations teams
• GitOps: A specific implementation pattern using Git for infrastructure automation, focused on declarative configuration and automated reconciliation
• Relationship: GitOps operationalizes DevOps practices for cloud-native environments

Think of DevOps as the philosophy and GitOps as one powerful way to put that philosophy into practice. DevOps tells you to automate and collaborate. GitOps tells you exactly how to do it using Git.

Common GitOps Tools

The GitOps ecosystem includes tools for different stages of the workflow. Choosing the right combination depends on your existing technology stack and team expertise.

CI tools for GitOps

GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and Jenkins handle building, testing, and updating Git repositories. These tools validate changes before they reach production, running automated tests and checks on every commit.

CD tools for GitOps

ArgoCD, Flux, and Jenkins X specialize in deploying changes from Git to target environments. ArgoCD has become particularly popular for its intuitive interface and robust Kubernetes support. Flux offers a lighter-weight alternative that integrates tightly with the Kubernetes ecosystem.

GitOps with Kubernetes

Kubernetes and GitOps pair naturally because Kubernetes already uses a declarative model. You describe desired state and Kubernetes works to achieve it. This alignment makes Kubernetes the most common platform for GitOps adoption. OpenShift GitOps provides an enterprise-ready option for organizations using Red Hat's platform.

GitOps with Terraform

Terraform can integrate into GitOps workflows for provisioning cloud infrastructure. Teams often use Terraform for foundational resources like networks, databases, and cloud accounts while using Kubernetes-native tools for application deployments. The two approaches complement each other.

GitOps Best Practices

Teams implementing GitOps can follow several practices to maximize success. These recommendations come from patterns observed across organizations that have adopted GitOps effectively.

1. Use Git as the single source of truth

Store all environment configurations in Git and avoid manual changes to live systems. Every modification, whether to application code or infrastructure, goes through the Git workflow first.

2. Implement proper access controls

Branch protection, required reviews, and role-based permissions help secure the GitOps pipeline. These controls ensure changes receive appropriate scrutiny before deployment and create accountability for every modification.

3. Automate everything in your GitOps pipeline

Minimize manual intervention by automating testing, validation, and deployment processes. Each manual step introduces potential for error and delay, so the goal is a fully automated path from commit to production.

4. Monitor and alert on configuration drift

Set up observability to detect when actual state diverges from desired state in Git. Early detection prevents small issues from becoming major incidents and helps identify unauthorized changes quickly.

5. Start small and scale gradually

Begin with non-critical environments to build confidence and develop expertise. Production workloads can follow once the team understands the workflow and has resolved initial challenges.

GitOps Challenges and Limitations

While GitOps offers significant benefits, teams often encounter certain challenges during adoption. Being aware of these helps set realistic expectations.

• Secrets management: Storing sensitive data in Git requires encryption tools like Sealed Secrets or HashiCorp Vault since plain text secrets create security risks
• Learning curve: Teams unfamiliar with Git workflows may need training before becoming productive with GitOps practices
• Complexity at scale: Managing multiple repositories, environments, and applications requires careful organization and clear conventions
• Not ideal for all workloads: Some legacy applications may not fit declarative models easily, particularly those with complex stateful requirements

How to Get Started with GitOps

Adopting GitOps typically follows a progression from assessment through full implementation. Here's a practical path forward.

1. Assess your current infrastructure

Evaluate existing deployment processes and identify workloads suitable for GitOps adoption. Applications already containerized or running on Kubernetes are natural starting points since they align well with declarative configuration.

2. Choose your GitOps tools

Select CI/CD tools, a Git platform like GitHub or GitLab, and deployment operators based on your technology stack. Consider what your team already knows and what integrates well with your existing systems.

3. Define your Git repository structure

Decide between a monorepo, where everything lives in one repository, or a multi-repo approach with separate repositories for different concerns. Organize by environment, application, or team depending on your organization's needs and size.

4. Implement automated pipelines

Configure CI/CD to build, test, and sync changes from Git to target environments. Start with a simple workflow and add complexity as needed. A working simple pipeline beats a complex one that never ships.

5. Establish monitoring and alerting

Set up dashboards and alerts to track deployment status and detect drift. Visibility into your GitOps pipeline helps teams respond quickly to issues and builds confidence in the automated process.

Building High-Performing DevOps Teams

Successful GitOps adoption depends on more than tools. It requires teams that collaborate effectively, align on goals, and continuously improve their practices. Organizations implementing GitOps often find that clear performance expectations, regular feedback, and strong team communication accelerate their transformation.

Book a demo to see how Engagedly helps teams build the collaborative culture that makes technical transformations like GitOps successful.

FAQs About GitOps

Can GitOps be used without Kubernetes?

Yes, GitOps principles can apply to any infrastructure that supports declarative configuration. Kubernetes is the most common platform due to its native declarative model, but teams have successfully applied GitOps to Docker Compose, serverless functions, and traditional virtual machines.

What is the difference between GitOps and CI/CD?

CI/CD is a broader practice for automating software build and deployment. GitOps is a specific pattern that uses Git as the single source of truth for triggering and managing deployments. GitOps can be considered a specialized form of continuous deployment.

How does GitOps handle secrets management?

Secrets typically require special handling since storing them in plain text in Git creates security risks. Teams commonly use tools like Sealed Secrets, HashiCorp Vault, or SOPS to encrypt secrets before committing them to repositories.

Is GitOps the same as Infrastructure as Code?

Infrastructure as Code, or IaC, is a prerequisite for GitOps, but they're not identical. IaC means defining infrastructure in code files. GitOps extends IaC by adding Git-based workflows, automated sync, and continuous reconciliation to infrastructure management.