Introducing Argo CD v3: Compact Yet Powerfull…Coming Soon

We are thrilled to unveil plans for a major update: Argo CD v3! Over recent years, we’ve identified certain anti-patterns, performance bottlenecks, and usability challenges that couldn’t be addressed with minor releases. By deprecating outdated configurations, setting smarter defaults, and promoting best practices, Argo CD 3.0 paves the way for enhanced performance and user experience.

Key Enhancements in Argo CD 3.0

This release focuses on improving user experience, security, and performance by:

1. Introducing Recommended Configurations by Default: Out-of-the-box settings will now be more secure and performant, reducing the need for manual adjustments.
2. Deprecating Legacy Configuration Options: We’ll phase out support for configurations that are no longer recommended, streamlining the setup process.

Over time, we’ve observed that certain optional configurations have become standard among users, particularly those related to performance. By making these configurations default, we aim to simplify the user experience. Additionally, addressing technical debt from legacy configurations will enhance maintainability as Argo CD continues to evolve.

Notable Changes in This Version

Some of the significant updates in this release include:

1. Removal of Legacy argocd-cm Repository Config Support: Streamlines configuration management by eliminating outdated methods.
2. Default Enforcement of Fine-Grained Update/Delete RBAC: Enhances security by applying more precise role-based access controls.
3. Mandatory applyNestedSelectors: true for Matrix/Merge Generators: Simplifies generator configurations by standardizing this setting.
4. Adoption of Opinionated Secret Management: Aligns Argo CD with industry best practices for secret handling, improving security and maintainability.
5. Restriction on Using in-cluster When Disabled: Prevents potential misconfigurations by enforcing explicit settings.

Backward Compatibility & Migration

Our goal is to make upgrading to v3 as seamless as possible, akin to transitioning between 2.x minor versions. For each change, documentation will provide:

1. Description of the Change: Clear explanations of what has been modified.
2. Impact Assessment: Guidance on determining if your setup is affected.
3. Migration Steps: Detailed instructions to adapt to the new configurations.
4. Opt-Out Options: For higher-risk changes, methods to revert to previous settings if necessary.

Get Involved

We invite the community to review the full proposal and provide feedback. If you’re aware of additional breaking changes that align with the 3.0 vision and can further enhance Argo CD, please open an issue. We look forward to collaborative discussions with the Argo CD community.

Call for Contributions

Several issues planned for v3 are open for contributions. This is a great opportunity to actively participate in shaping this release.

Support for Older Versions

Upon the v3 General Availability (GA) release, versions v2.14 and v2.13 will continue to be supported, following our standard support policy for minor versions.

Planned Release Dates

• Release Candidate (RC): March 17, 2025
• General Availability (GA): May 6, 2025

We are eager to embark on this journey with our community and deliver a more robust and user-friendly Argo CD experience.

Original Article is here.

You can learn more about what ArgoCD is and it is used for in this introductory article.