DevOps AI Toolkit

# PRD: Argo CD Integration for Third-Party Helm Charts **Issue**: [#254](https://github.com/vfarcic/dot-ai/issues/254) **Status**: Superseded **Priority**: High **Created**: 2025-12-06 **Closed**: 2025-12-10 --- ## Problem Statement When using the `recommend` tool in Helm mode to install third-party applications (PRD #250), users currently get direct `helm install` execution. While this works, it doesn't integrate with GitOps workflows where: 1. **All deployments should be declarative**: Stored in Git, not executed imperatively 2. **Argo CD manages application lifecycle**: Syncing, health checks, rollback capabilities 3. **Audit trail is required**: Git history provides deployment audit trail 4. **Environment promotion is needed**: Same Application definition can be promoted across environments Users who want GitOps-managed third-party applications must manually create Argo CD Application manifests after running `recommend`, defeating the purpose of automated deployment assistance. --- ## Solution Overview Extend the `recommend` tool's Helm mode to offer **Argo CD Application generation** as a deployment option: 1. **New Deployment Option**: After generating Helm configuration, ask: "How would you like to deploy?" - Direct `helm install` (current behavior) - Generate Argo CD Application CR 2. **Application CR Generation**: Create a complete Argo CD Application that: - References the external Helm chart repository - Includes all user-provided values - Configures appropriate sync policies 3. **Output Options**: - Display the Application YAML - Save to specified file path - (Future: Push to Git repository) --- ## User Journey ### Current State (Manual GitOps Setup) ``` User: "Install nginx ingress controller" → recommend tool finds chart, asks questions, runs helm install → User wants GitOps management → User manually creates Argo CD Application YAML → User commits to Git repo → User waits for Argo CD to sync ``` ### Target State (Integrated GitOps) ``` User: "Install nginx ingress controller" → recommend tool finds chart, asks questions → New question: "How would you like to deploy?" Option 1: Direct helm install Option 2: Generate Argo CD Application → User selects Argo CD → Additional questions: - Target namespace for the Application CR? (default: argocd) - Sync policy? (Manual / Automatic / Automatic with pruning) - Where to save the Application YAML? → System generates Application CR with all Helm values embedded → User gets ready-to-apply YAML (or saves to file) ``` --- ## Technical Design ### Workflow Integration Add new stage after Helm configuration in recommend workflow: ``` [Intent] → [Solution Selection] → [Helm Chart Discovery] → [Questions] → [NEW: Deployment Method] → [Generate Output] → [Deploy/Save] ``` ### Deployment Method Question ```typescript { id: 'deploymentMethod', question: 'How would you like to deploy this application?', options: [ { value: 'helm-install', label: 'Direct Helm Install', description: 'Run helm install now (current behavior)' }, { value: 'argocd-application', label: 'Argo CD Application', description: 'Generate Application CR for GitOps deployment' } ], default: 'helm-install' } ``` ### Argo CD-Specific Questions When `argocd-application` is selected: ```typescript { id: 'argocdNamespace', question: 'Which namespace should the Argo CD Application be created in?', type: 'text', default: 'argocd' }, { id: 'syncPolicy', question: 'What sync policy should be used?', options: [ { value: 'manual', label: 'Manual', description: 'Sync only when triggered' }, { value: 'auto', label: 'Automatic', description: 'Sync automatically on changes' }, { value: 'auto-prune', label: 'Automatic with Pruning', description: 'Auto-sync and remove orphaned resources' } ], default: 'manual' }, { id: 'outputPath', question: 'Where should the Application YAML be saved? (leave empty to display only)', type: 'text', placeholder: './argocd-apps/nginx-ingress.yaml' } ``` ### Application CR Generation Generate Argo CD Application CR from Helm configuration: ```typescript interface ArgoApplicationConfig { name: string; // From chart/release name namespace: string; // Where Application CR lives (default: argocd) project: string; // Argo CD project (default: default) destination: { server: string; // https://kubernetes.default.svc namespace: string; // Target namespace for Helm release }; source: { repoURL: string; // Helm repo URL chart: string; // Chart name targetRevision: string; // Chart version helm: { values: string; // YAML string of all user-provided values }; }; syncPolicy?: { automated?: { prune: boolean; selfHeal: boolean; }; }; } ``` **Example Output:** ```yaml apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1 kind: Application metadata: name: nginx-ingress namespace: argocd spec: project: default source: repoURL: https://kubernetes.github.io/ingress-nginx chart: ingress-nginx targetRevision: 4.8.3 helm: values: | controller: replicaCount: 2 resources: limits: cpu: 500m memory: 512Mi defaultBackend: enabled: true destination: server: https://kubernetes.default.svc namespace: ingress-nginx syncPolicy: automated: prune: true selfHeal: true ``` ### File Structure Changes ``` src/ ├── core/ │ ├── argocd-generator.ts # NEW: Application CR generation │ └── ... ├── tools/ │ └── recommend/ │ ├── helm-workflow.ts # Update: Add deployment method stage │ └── ... prompts/ ├── recommend-argocd-questions.md # NEW: Questions for Argo CD options ``` --- ## Success Criteria 1. **Deployment Choice**: Users can choose between direct Helm install and Argo CD Application generation 2. **Complete Application CR**: Generated Application includes all Helm values from user answers 3. **Valid Output**: Generated YAML passes `kubectl apply --dry-run` validation 4. **Sync Policy Options**: Users can configure manual, auto, or auto-prune sync policies 5. **File Output**: Users can save Application YAML to specified path 6. **Backward Compatible**: Default behavior (helm install) unchanged for existing users --- ## Out of Scope 1. **Git Push**: Pushing Application CR to Git repository (future PRD) 2. **Argo CD Detection**: Auto-detecting if Argo CD is installed in cluster 3. **ApplicationSet**: Generating ApplicationSets for multi-environment 4. **App of Apps**: Nested Application patterns 5. **Argo CD Project Creation**: Creating new Argo CD projects 6. **Private Helm Repos**: Credential configuration for private repositories 7. **Kustomize Sources**: Only Helm chart sources in this PRD --- ## Dependencies - **PRD #250** (Third-Party Helm Install): Helm chart discovery and value collection infrastructure - Argo CD CRD knowledge (Application schema) --- ## Risks and Mitigations | Risk | Impact | Mitigation | |------|--------|------------| | Argo CD not installed | Application CR cannot be applied | Warn user; still generate valid YAML for later use | | Invalid Application generated | Deployment fails | Validate against Argo CD schema; dry-run test | | Values formatting issues | Helm values not parsed correctly | Use proper YAML serialization; test with complex values | | Version mismatch | Application CR incompatible with Argo CD version | Target stable v1alpha1 API; document version requirements | --- ## Relationship to Other PRDs This PRD is part of a larger GitOps integration effort: | PRD | Scope | Dependency | |-----|-------|------------| | **#248** | Helm packaging for capability mode | Independent | | **#254** (this) | Argo CD + third-party Helm | Needs #250 | | Future | Argo CD + packaged Helm (from #248) | Needs #248 | | Future | Argo CD + Kustomize | Needs Kustomize packaging PRD | | Future | Flux equivalents | Independent track | | **#202** | May be superseded or narrowed | Review after above PRDs | --- ## Milestones - [ ] **M1**: Deployment method question integrated into Helm workflow - [ ] **M2**: Argo CD-specific questions (namespace, sync policy, output path) working - [ ] **M3**: Application CR generation with embedded Helm values - [ ] **M4**: File output option functional - [ ] **M5**: Integration tests covering all deployment paths - [ ] **M6**: Documentation updated with Argo CD workflow examples --- ## Progress Log | Date | Update | |------|--------| | 2025-12-06 | PRD created as part of GitOps integration planning | | 2025-12-06 | Scoped to third-party Helm charts only; other combinations tracked separately | | 2025-12-10 | PRD superseded by new GitOps architecture | --- ## Closure Summary **Status**: Superseded **Closed**: 2025-12-10 **Reason**: Architectural restructuring This PRD has been superseded by a new GitOps architecture that provides better separation of concerns: - **#264** (GitOps Tool with Argo CD Support): Standalone `gitops` tool with shared infrastructure and pluggable provider architecture - **#265** (Flux Support for GitOps Tool): Adds Flux as a provider - **#266** (GitOps Integration in Recommend Workflow): Integrates gitops into recommend workflow The new architecture: 1. Creates a standalone `gitops` tool that works with any existing packages 2. Provides smart package detection (Helm, Kustomize, raw manifests) 3. Uses a pluggable provider interface for extensibility 4. Enables code reuse between Argo CD and Flux providers 5. Supports both standalone usage and integration with recommend workflow