GitOps + Kubernetes - Comparing Argo CD vs. Jenkins X vs. Flux vs. Spinnaker

GitOps + Kubernetes Series

GitOps is a concept that promotes using Git version control to manage IT infrastructure and operations. By doing so, teams can reliably version, track, and manage changes in an automated and secure manner, as well as quickly roll back any changes should an issue arise.

GitOps encompasses different components to make this work, such as using CI/CD tools to deploy infrastructure and cloud-native applications.

Most tools targeting GitOps only offer CD functionality, but some do offer full CI/CD features. This begs the question, which GitOps tool is best for your organization?

Let’s compare the four most popular GitOps tools, so you can make an informed decision:

Why These Tools?

GitOps is a relatively new way of managing Kubernetes clusters; most of the tools available are actually CI/CD tools that are still evolving to conform to GitOps principles. Tools that position themselves as specifically designed for GitOps are usually newer. This roundup covers tools like Spinnaker that have a proven track record in GitOps, as well as more recent tools such as Jenkins X, Flux, and Argo CD. None of them are perfect, but each one excels in certain use cases.

We’ll compare these four tools against the following criteria:

Argo CD

Let’s get down to business with one of the strongest contenders, Argo CD.

Argo CD is an open-source declarative GitOps continuous delivery tool designed specifically to run on Kubernetes. It was created by Intuit to help developers automate deploying applications to Kubernetes clusters, ensuring that they’re always running the latest version. Today, Argo CD is a Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) graduate project focused on helping developers track apps and infrastructure changes through GitOps declarative configuration principles.

Here’s some of what makes Argo CD so special:

If you’re looking for a great CD tool for Kubernetes that you can easily integrate with the rest of your GitOps pipeline, then Argo CD may fit the bill. However, for some companies, it's more convenient to use the same platform for the entire CI/CD workflow.

That brings us to the next tool on the list, Jenkins X.

Jenkins X

Jenkins X is a multi-cluster open-source CI/CD GitOps tool. Notable aspects of Jenkins X include its use of Tekton as its underlying pipeline execution engine; its ability to spin up preview environments on pull requests; and automatic comments on your commits.

It would take a whole article to delve deeper into the technologies that Jenkins X encompasses, but possibly that is its main value proposition. As a developer, you don’t need to understand these technologies since Jenkins X is responsible for abstracting all the complexity behind the scenes.

In brief, Jenkins X offers:

By providing a unified platform with integrated CI/CD capabilities, Jenkins X can help teams quickly and efficiently deploy applications and manage their infrastructure from one central place. Its extensive library of plugins allows your organization to use Jenkins X for different tasks, such as automating processes like deployment pipelines, testing strategies, backup plans, and monitoring solutions.

All in all, if you don't mind working with an opinionated GitOps tool, Jenkins X is an excellent cloud-native solution.

Flux

Flux is an open-source CNCF project originally developed by Weaveworks that has many similarities to Argo CD. At their core, both are CD tools with no CI capabilities, and both support Kubernetes RBAC, multi-tenancy, Helm, and Kustomize. However, Flux adopts a CLI-first approach more like Jenkins X, where UIs are provided as third-party add-ons. Flux's architecture is based almost entirely on custom Kubernetes controllers, which makes it comparatively simpler than the other tools on this list.

Does that simplicity impact Flux as a GitOps tool? Let’s see:

Simply put, Flux is an invaluable asset for cluster operators, platform engineers, and app developers looking to optimize their declarative delivery process and bolster their overall GitOps capabilities.

Spinnaker

Now let’s talk about the battle-tested, enterprise-grade, open-source CD platform Spinnaker. Initially developed by Netflix, Spinnaker stands out with its flexibility and versatility. Unlike the rest of the tools on this list, Spinnaker allows you to extend the GitOps declarative approach beyond Kubernetes. You can deploy VMs and serverless apps on-premises or in the cloud. This makes Spinnaker particularly attractive for large organizations that require a universal solution for all their needs.

However, does this also mean that Spinnaker is a jack of all trades and therefore master of none? Let's find out:

There’s no doubt that Spinnaker offers many possibilities, especially for large organizations that deploy loads other than on Kubernetes clusters. However, if your infrastructure runs entirely on Kubernetes, it may be more convenient to implement other solutions like Jenkins X, Argo CD, or Flux that offer CD specifically for Kubernetes.

Conclusion

Your key takeaways from this roundup are:

1. You'll most likely require more than one tool to build your GitOps workflow, so pay special attention to the integrations each tool offers.
2. Given their ease of use and cloud-native architecture, Argo CD and Flux are arguably the best options for implementing GitOps principles quickly, at least in terms of CD pipelines.
3. Spinnaker's reliability and its ability to extend GitOps beyond Kubernetes make it an ideal candidate for the enterprise use case.
4. Jenkins X's value proposition is interesting, providing a complete GitOps workflow with little knowledge of CI/CD tools. However, keep in mind what we said earlier—this comes at a price in terms of configurability.
5. Spinnaker and Argo CD can be managed through UIs or CLIs, while Flux and Jenkins X favor using CLIs for configuration and management.

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