Traditional CI/CD versus GitOps CD

The main difference between traditional CI/CD and Argo CD is in how deployments are handled

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Figure 5.1 – Traditional CI/CD versus GitOps CD

Traditional CI/CD follows a workflow where changes are automatically integrated, tested, and deployed, while Argo CD uses a synchronization mechanism to ensure the actual state matches the desired state in the Git repository. Argo CD relies on a CI step, meaning any change must go through a CI process before Argo CD can detect and act on it. This ensures that only verified changes are deployed. Unlike CI/CD, which might require manual interventions that can lead to discrepancies, Argo CD continuously monitors and synchronizes the system state with the Git repository, reducing the risk of drifts and maintaining consistency.

In the following section, we’ll look at the difference between platform engineering and IDPs.