70+ ArgoCD Interview Questions and Answers [GitOps & Kubernetes – 2025]

Core ArgoCD Concepts

1. What is ArgoCD and its primary function in Kubernetes?

ArgoCD is an open-source declarative continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes, implementing GitOps principles. It synchronizes desired state from Git repositories to clusters, automatically detecting changes and applying them. ArgoCD supports application management, health checks, and rollbacks, making it ideal for MNC DevOps teams managing complex Kubernetes environments with high reliability and automation.

Explore ArgoCD in gitops.

2. Why do organizations adopt ArgoCD for GitOps?

• Declarative: Defines state in Git for reproducibility.
• Automated: Syncs changes without manual intervention.
• Observable: Provides UI for application status.
• Secure: Integrates with RBAC and secrets management.
• Scalable: Handles multi-cluster deployments.

ArgoCD reduces deployment errors and enhances auditability in enterprise Kubernetes setups.

3. When is ArgoCD most beneficial in DevOps workflows?

ArgoCD is beneficial during continuous delivery in CI/CD pipelines, multi-environment deployments, and disaster recovery scenarios.

It excels in hybrid cloud setups for consistent state management, ensuring rapid rollouts and rollbacks for enterprise reliability.

4. Where is ArgoCD typically installed in a Kubernetes cluster?

ArgoCD is installed in a dedicated namespace like argocd using Helm charts or YAML manifests. Interviews test configuration of the argocd-server service, Redis for caching, and repo-server for Git operations, ensuring secure access in enterprise clusters.

5. Who is responsible for managing ArgoCD in teams?

• DevOps Engineers: Define application manifests.
• SREs: Monitor sync health and performance.
• Platform Teams: Handle cluster integrations.
• Security Teams: Configure RBAC and secrets.

Collaboration ensures smooth GitOps operations in MNC environments.

6. Which ArgoCD component handles synchronization?

The Application Controller component handles synchronization by polling Git repositories and applying changes to Kubernetes. Interviews test its configuration for auto-sync, prune, and self-heal features, ensuring desired state in enterprise deployments.

7. How does ArgoCD implement GitOps principles?

ArgoCD implements GitOps by treating Git as the single source of truth, using declarative manifests to define desired state. It syncs clusters automatically, detects drifts, and supports hooks for custom workflows, tested in interviews for enterprise continuous delivery.

• Declarative: YAML defines infrastructure.
• Versioned: Git tracks changes.
• Observable: UI shows sync status.

8. What are the core components of ArgoCD?

• API Server: Handles UI and CLI requests.
• Application Controller: Syncs applications.
• Repo Server: Clones Git repositories.
• Redis: Caches repository data.
• Server: Provides web interface.

These components enable scalable GitOps in Kubernetes.

9. Why is ArgoCD suitable for multi-cluster management?

ArgoCD manages multi-cluster deployments through project configurations and cluster secrets, supporting federation for centralized control. Interviews test its use for hybrid environments, ensuring consistent state across MNC clusters with compliance.

• Federation: Centralized app management.
• Secrets: Secure cluster access.
• Projects: Namespace isolation.

10. When should ArgoCD be used over other CD tools?

ArgoCD is used for Kubernetes-native GitOps when declarative deployments are needed. Interviews test its preference for self-healing and drift detection in enterprise environments over imperative tools like Helm alone.

11. Where does ArgoCD store application definitions?

• Git Repositories: Primary source of truth.
• Cluster Secrets: For cluster credentials.
• ConfigMaps: For project settings.
• CRDs: Application custom resources.

Interviews test GitOps storage practices.

12. Who benefits from ArgoCD in DevOps?

DevOps engineers, SREs, and platform teams benefit from ArgoCD’s automation, while developers appreciate self-service deployments. Interviews test its role in reducing toil for MNC teams managing Kubernetes.

13. Which ArgoCD features support rollouts?

• Argo Rollouts: Canary, blue-green strategies.
• Sync Waves: Phased deployments.
• Analysis Templates: Metrics validation.
• Prometheus Integration: Traffic monitoring.

These features ensure safe enterprise rollouts.

14. How does ArgoCD handle application sync?

ArgoCD syncs applications by comparing Git manifests with cluster state, applying changes via kubectl. Interviews test auto-sync, manual sync, and hooks for custom logic in enterprise deployments.

apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1 kind: Application metadata: name: app-sync spec: source: repoURL: https://github.com/repo path: manifests syncPolicy: automated: prune: true selfHeal: true

15. What steps install ArgoCD for DevOps?

Install ArgoCD using kubectl apply -n argocd -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/argoproj/argo-cd/stable/manifests/install.yaml. Configure RBAC, expose the server, and set up Git credentials. Interviews test Helm installation and multi-tenancy for enterprise setups.

• Namespace: Create argocd namespace.
• Manifests: Apply official YAML.
• Access: Configure ingress or port-forward.

16. Why use ArgoCD projects in DevOps?

ArgoCD projects group applications with role-based access, limiting repositories and namespaces. Interviews test project configurations for multi-tenancy and compliance in MNC environments.

17. When does ArgoCD use sync hooks?

• Pre-Sync: Runs before deployment.
• Post-Sync: Executes after sync.
• Sync-Fail: Handles failures.
• Validation: Ensures resource health.

Interviews test hooks for enterprise deployment workflows requiring stability.

GitOps Principles

18. Where does ArgoCD enforce GitOps?

ArgoCD enforces GitOps by treating Git as the single source of truth, syncing cluster state to manifests. Interviews test repository management and drift detection for enterprise GitOps compliance.

19. Who defines ArgoCD application manifests?

Developers define manifests in Git, DevOps reviews them, and SREs monitor syncs. Interviews test RBAC for multi-team GitOps in MNC environments.

Collaboration ensures secure deployments.

20. Which ArgoCD policies control syncs?

• Automated: Auto-sync with prune/self-heal.
• Manual: Requires approval.
• Sync Options: Prune, dry-run.
• Retry: Configures sync attempts.

Interviews test policies for enterprise control.

21. How do DevOps handle ArgoCD drift?

ArgoCD detects drift by comparing cluster state to Git manifests, triggering self-heal. Interviews test configuration for automatic remediation and notifications in enterprise environments.

22. What is the purpose of ArgoCD application sets?

ApplicationSets generate multiple applications from templates, supporting dynamic environments. Interviews test generators for multi-cluster and multi-tenant GitOps in MNC setups.

23. Why use ArgoCD for multi-cluster GitOps?

ArgoCD supports multi-cluster with cluster secrets and federation, centralizing management. Interviews test configurations for hybrid cloud deployments, ensuring consistency across MNC infrastructures.

• Secrets: Secure cluster credentials.
• Federation: Centralized app control.
• Projects: Namespace isolation.

24. How do DevOps secure ArgoCD repositories?

Secure repositories with SSH keys or HTTPS tokens in secrets. Interviews test RBAC and project restrictions for enterprise-grade GitOps security in MNC environments.

25. What tools integrate with ArgoCD for GitOps?

• Helm: Template rendering.
• Kustomize: Overlay management.
• Jsonnet: Dynamic manifests.
• Terraform: Infrastructure provisioning.

Interviews test integrations for enterprise deployments via automation.

26. Why use ArgoCD sync waves?

Sync waves sequence deployments, ensuring dependencies. Interviews test wave configurations for phased rollouts in enterprise GitOps pipelines.

27. When to use ArgoCD resource hooks?

Use resource hooks for pre/post-sync actions like database migrations. Interviews test hook types for custom workflows in enterprise deployments requiring stability.

28. Where are ArgoCD custom resources defined?

• CRDs: Installed via manifests.
• Applications: YAML in Git.
• Projects: Namespace configurations.
• AppProjects: Role bindings.

Interviews test CRD management for GitOps.

29. What ArgoCD features support monitoring?

Features like health checks, sync status, and notifications support monitoring. Interviews test Prometheus integration for enterprise-grade GitOps observability.

• Health: Resource status checks.
• Sync: Deployment tracking.
• Notifications: Alert integrations.

30. Why integrate ArgoCD with Prometheus?

Integration with Prometheus enables metric-based alerts and dashboards for ArgoCD performance. Interviews test configurations for monitoring sync health and resource usage in MNC environments.

31. When should ArgoCD use blue-green deployments?

• Zero-Downtime: Traffic switching.
• Testing: Canary validation.
• Rollback: Quick failure recovery.
• Integration: With Argo Rollouts.

Interviews test strategies for enterprise reliability.

32. Where does ArgoCD store sync history?

Sync history is stored in the Application resource status. Interviews test querying history for auditing and troubleshooting in enterprise GitOps deployments.

33. Who defines ArgoCD RBAC policies?

Platform teams define RBAC policies, developers use roles, and security reviews them. Interviews test policy configurations for multi-tenant GitOps in MNC environments via collaboration.

Advanced Deployment

34. Which ArgoCD features support canary deployments?

• Argo Rollouts: Traffic splitting.
• Analysis: Metrics-based progression.
• Sync Hooks: Custom validation.
• Prometheus: Service mesh integration.

Interviews test canary strategies for enterprise rollouts.

35. How do DevOps implement ArgoCD multi-tenancy?

Implement multi-tenancy with projects, RBAC, and namespace isolation. Interviews test configuration for team-specific repositories and clusters in enterprise MNC setups.

apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1 kind: AppProject metadata: name: multi-tenant spec: destinations: - namespace: '*' server: '*'

36. What is the ArgoCD application sync status?

Sync status indicates Synced, OutOfSync, or Degraded. Interviews test status interpretation for troubleshooting and health checks in enterprise GitOps deployments.

37. What are ArgoCD resource actions?

• Sync: Applies Git changes.
• Hard Refresh: Clears cache.
• Soft Refresh: Updates status.
• Terminate Op: Stops operations.

Interviews test actions for enterprise control.

38. Why use ArgoCD ApplicationSets?

ApplicationSets generate multiple applications from templates, supporting dynamic environments. Interviews test generators for multi-cluster and multi-tenant GitOps in MNC setups.

• Generators: List, matrix, git.
• Templates: Reusable app definitions.
• Scalability: Automates app creation.

39. When does ArgoCD perform health checks?

ArgoCD performs health checks during syncs and on-demand, using resource status. Interviews test custom health assessments for enterprise application reliability.

40. Where does ArgoCD log sync operations?

• Application Status: Sync history fields.
• Controller Logs: Pod output.
• UI: Operation details.
• Notifications: Integrated alerts.

Interviews test logging for enterprise auditing.

41. Who configures ArgoCD notifications?

Platform teams configure notifications with webhooks or Slack. Interviews test integration for alerting on sync failures in MNC environments ensuring compliance.

Security and Compliance

42. Which ArgoCD features ensure security?

RBAC, project isolation, and repository credentials ensure security. Interviews test configurations for multi-tenant access control in enterprise MNC deployments.

Security features protect GitOps pipelines.

43. How do DevOps secure ArgoCD repositories?

Secure repositories with SSH keys, HTTPS tokens, and project restrictions. Interviews test credential management and RBAC for enterprise-grade GitOps security.

apiVersion: v1 kind: Secret metadata: name: repo-secret type: Opaque data: username: base64(user) password: base64(pass)

44. What is ArgoCD RBAC?

• Roles: Define permissions.
• Groups: Map to users.
• Policies: Resource access rules.
• Projects: Namespace scoping.

Interviews test RBAC for enterprise multi-tenancy.

45. Why use ArgoCD for compliance?

ArgoCD ensures compliance with audit trails, immutable Git state, and RBAC. Interviews test its use for regulated industries like finance in MNC environments.

46. What are ArgoCD admission controllers?

Admission controllers validate manifests before sync. Interviews test custom controllers for policy enforcement in enterprise GitOps.

47. When to use ArgoCD for regulated deployments?

• Finance: Audit compliance.
• Healthcare: Data protection.
• Government: Security standards.
• Integration: With OPA Gatekeeper.

Interviews test compliance features.

48. Where are ArgoCD secrets stored?

Secrets are stored in Kubernetes secrets, referenced in applications. Interviews test secure credential management for enterprise repositories.

49. Who defines ArgoCD security policies?

Security teams define policies, DevOps implements them, and auditors review. Interviews test policy configurations for multi-tenant GitOps in MNC environments via security.

50. Which ArgoCD features support auditing?

• Sync History: Tracks operations.
• Logs: Controller output.
• UI: Audit trails.
• Notifications: Alert on changes.

Interviews test auditing for enterprise compliance.

51. How do DevOps implement ArgoCD SSO?

Implement SSO with OIDC or SAML in argocd-cm ConfigMap. Interviews test configuration for secure access in enterprise MNC deployments.

apiVersion: v1 kind: ConfigMap metadata: name: argocd-cm data: oidc.config: | name: my-oidc issuer: https://oidc.example.com

52. What is ArgoCD's role in zero-trust?

ArgoCD supports zero-trust with RBAC, mTLS, and webhook validations. Interviews test its use for secure supply chain in enterprise environments.

53. Why use ArgoCD with OPA?

• Policy Enforcement: Validates manifests.
• Integration: Admission controller.
• Compliance: Regulated deployments.
• Automation: Gatekeeper hooks.

Interviews test policy integration.

54. How does ArgoCD handle secret management?

ArgoCD uses external secrets operators like Sealed Secrets or Vault. Interviews test integration for secure credential handling in enterprise GitOps.

Troubleshooting and Best Practices

55. What common ArgoCD errors occur?

• Sync Failures: Git access issues.
• Drift Detection: State mismatches.
• Resource Limits: Pod evictions.
• Troubleshooting: Check controller logs.

Interviews test error resolution in enterprise setups.

56. When to troubleshoot ArgoCD sync issues?

Troubleshoot sync issues when drift is detected or syncs fail. Interviews test log analysis and manual sync commands for enterprise troubleshooting.

57. Where to find ArgoCD logs for debugging?

ArgoCD logs are in controller pods, accessible via kubectl logs. Interviews test log analysis for sync failures and performance issues in enterprise environments with high performance.

58. Who troubleshoots ArgoCD in DevOps?

SREs and DevOps troubleshoot using kubectl describe and logs, collaborating with developers for manifest issues. Interviews test proactive monitoring for enterprise reliability.

Documentation aids troubleshooting.

59. Which commands check ArgoCD status?

• argocd app list: Application status.
• argocd app get : Detailed info.
• kubectl logs -n argocd: Controller logs.
• argocd app sync : Manual sync.

Interviews test CLI for enterprise management.

60. How do DevOps resolve ArgoCD drift?

Resolve drift with argocd app sync or auto-self-heal. Interviews test configuration for automatic remediation and notifications in enterprise GitOps deployments.

61. What best practices for ArgoCD performance?

• Repo Caching: Redis configuration.
• Resource Limits: Pod requests.
• Sync Intervals: Optimize polling.
• Monitoring: Prometheus metrics.

Interviews test performance tuning for enterprise scale.

62. Why monitor ArgoCD metrics?

Monitor metrics for sync health, resource usage, and error rates. Interviews test Prometheus integration for proactive enterprise GitOps management in MNCs.

63. How to handle ArgoCD resource limits?

Handle limits with Horizontal Pod Autoscaler and resource quotas. Interviews test configurations for scaling in enterprise Kubernetes environments.

Integration and Scaling

64. What is ArgoCD's role in CI/CD integration?

ArgoCD integrates with CI tools like Jenkins for post-build syncs, enabling automated CD. Interviews test webhook configurations for enterprise CI/CD pipelines in MNCs.

• Webhooks: Triggers on Git changes.
• Sync: Automated deployments.
• Validation: Health checks.

65. When to use ArgoCD with Helm?

Use ArgoCD with Helm for templated manifests in dynamic environments. Interviews test Helm integration for scalable enterprise deployments with cloud support.

66. Where does ArgoCD fit in multi-cloud strategies?

• Multi-Cluster: Centralized management.
• Cloud Providers: AWS, Azure clusters.
• Integration: Provider-specific secrets.
• Scalability: Federation for consistency.

Interviews test multi-cloud GitOps.

67. Who integrates ArgoCD with CI tools?

DevOps engineers integrate ArgoCD with Jenkins or GitLab CI. Interviews test webhook setups for automated enterprise CD in MNC workflows.

68. Which integrations enhance ArgoCD?

Integrations like Prometheus, Slack, and OPA enhance ArgoCD. Interviews test configurations for monitoring and policy enforcement in enterprise MNC environments.

Integrations drive advanced GitOps.

69. How does ArgoCD scale for large enterprises?

ArgoCD scales with multiple repo-servers, Redis clustering, and application sets. Interviews test horizontal scaling for thousands of applications in MNC Kubernetes clusters.

apiVersion: apps/v1 kind: Deployment metadata: name: repo-server spec: replicas: 3

70. What challenges in ArgoCD scaling?

• Repo Load: High Git polling.
• Controller: Resource exhaustion.
• Network: Multi-cluster latency.
• Solution: Sharded deployments.

Interviews test scaling strategies for enterprises.

71. Why use ArgoCD with Kustomize?

Kustomize enables overlay-based customization for environments. Interviews test Kustomize integration for flexible GitOps in enterprise MNC deployments.

72. How to customize ArgoCD UI for teams?

Customize UI with themes and extensions. Interviews test SSO and RBAC for multi-tenant access in enterprise MNC environments.

Troubleshooting and Optimization

73. What is Elastic Agent for ArgoCD?

• Purpose: Unified shipper for metrics.
• Management: Fleet control.
• Use Case: ArgoCD monitoring.
• Integration: Prometheus replacement.

Interviews test Elastic Agent for enterprise monitoring with robust automation.

74. When to use ArgoCD for security auditing?

Use ArgoCD for auditing with sync history and RBAC logs. Interviews test integration with SIEM for enterprise-grade MNC security compliance.

75. Where to find ArgoCD community resources?

Resources on argoproj.github.io, Slack, and GitHub provide guides and troubleshooting. Interviews test their use for enterprise GitOps solutions.

76. Who contributes to ArgoCD development?

Argo Project community and MNC teams contribute on GitHub. Interviews test knowledge of contributions for enterprise GitOps advancements.

Community drives ArgoCD innovation.