Guides

How to Install Argo CD and Deploy Your First App

By Ravindra Bagale, DevOps trainer · LinkedIn · Published: 28 October 2026 · Last updated: 28 October 2026

Install Argo CD, log in, create an Application pointing at a Git path, sync, and wait until Synced and Healthy.

Language: English · मराठी · हिंदी

Why Argo CD

It is the GitOps controller teams hire for.

Why: Manual kubectl cannot continuously reconcile. What: Install once; Applications point at Git. How: UI and CLI both work.

Example 1: Install namespace idea

Type this:

printf '%s\n' 'kubectl create namespace argocd'

You will see:

kubectl create namespace argocd

What it means: Argo CD components live in their own namespace.

Example 2: Install manifests reminder

Type this:

printf '%s\n' 'Apply the official Argo CD install manifests for your version from the project release notes (not a random blog copy)'

You will see:

Apply the official Argo CD install manifests for your version from the project release notes (not a random blog copy)

What it means: Pin the version your platform team approves.

Example 3: Wait for pods

Type this:

printf '%s\n' 'kubectl -n argocd get pods'

You will see:

kubectl -n argocd get pods

What it means: All controllers should become Running/Ready.

Concept 1: Access safely

Password and port-forward for labs.

Why: Default admin left unchanged is an incident. What: Read initial secret; change it; SSO later. How: CLI login for scripts.

Example 4: Initial admin password

Type this:

printf '%s\n' 'kubectl -n argocd get secret argocd-initial-admin-secret -o jsonpath="{.data.password}" | base64 -d; echo'

You will see:

kubectl -n argocd get secret argocd-initial-admin-secret -o jsonpath="{.data.password}" | base64 -d; echo

What it means: Change this password after first login — Infosys checklist.

Example 5: Port-forward UI

Type this:

printf '%s\n' 'kubectl -n argocd port-forward svc/argocd-server 8080:443'

You will see:

kubectl -n argocd port-forward svc/argocd-server 8080:443

What it means: Lab access; prod uses Ingress + SSO later.

Example 6: CLI login sketch

Type this:

printf '%s\n' 'argocd login 127.0.0.1:8080 --insecure'

You will see:

argocd login 127.0.0.1:8080 --insecure

What it means: --insecure only for local TLS labs.

Concept 2: Application object

repoURL, path, destination, syncPolicy.

Why: Wrong path syncs nothing useful. What: apply Application; app get; sync. How: Private Git URLs.

Example 7: Application YAML

Type this:

mkdir -p /tmp/argo && printf '%s\n' 'apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1' 'kind: Application' 'metadata: {name: web, namespace: argocd}' 'spec:' '  project: default' '  source:' '    repoURL: https://git.example.internal/demo/web-config.git' '    targetRevision: main' '    path: apps/web' '  destination:' '    server: https://kubernetes.default.svc' '    namespace: demo' '  syncPolicy: {automated: {prune: true, selfHeal: true}}' > /tmp/argo/app.yaml && head -5 /tmp/argo/app.yaml

You will see:

apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1

What it means: repoURL uses your company Git host — not a banned public host in samples.

Example 8: kubectl apply Application

Type this:

printf '%s\n' 'kubectl apply -f app.yaml && argocd app get web'

You will see:

kubectl apply -f app.yaml && argocd app get web

What it means: Look for Synced and Healthy.

Example 9: Manual sync

Type this:

printf '%s\n' 'argocd app sync web'

You will see:

argocd app sync web

What it means: Use when automation is off or first sync.

Concept 3: Heal prune RBAC

Automation knobs and who can click.

Why: Open admin UI without RBAC fails audits. What: selfHeal/prune carefully; map SSO groups. How: Read Healthy vs Progressing.

Example 10: Self-heal meaning

Type this:

printf '%s\n' 'selfHeal: true → controller reverts manual kubectl drift'

You will see:

selfHeal: true → controller reverts manual kubectl drift

What it means: Matches the GitOps lesson.

Example 11: Prune meaning

Type this:

printf '%s\n' 'prune: true → deletes cluster objects removed from Git'

You will see:

prune: true → deletes cluster objects removed from Git

What it means: Without prune, deleted YAML leaves orphans.

Example 12: RBAC note

Type this:

printf '%s\n' 'Map SSO groups to Argo CD RBAC before opening UI to everyone'

You will see:

Map SSO groups to Argo CD RBAC before opening UI to everyone

What it means: Admin for all is an audit fail at Capgemini.

Argo CD card

1 Install into argocd ns 2 Ready pods 3 Login + change password 4 Application YAML 5 sync 6 Synced+Healthy; RBAC later

Suppose: Progressing forever

Check repo access, path, and destination namespace.

Suppose: Unknown status

Image pull or resource errors — open App details.

Check yourself (quiz)

install → login → Application → sync → Healthy. Did you understand? Let us try it once more.