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Flux GitOps for AKS and Azure Arc (2025 Update)

Flux is a CNCF GitOps operator for Kubernetes, integrated with Azure Arc and AKS for declarative, automated cluster management. Below are the latest best practices and command updates for 2025:

Prerequisites

  • Register required resource providers: 
    az provider register --namespace Microsoft.Kubernetes
az provider register --namespace Microsoft.ContainerService
az provider register --namespace Microsoft.KubernetesConfiguration
  • Install/upgrade the latest CLI extensions: 
    az extension add -n k8s-configuration --upgrade
az extension add -n k8s-extension --upgrade

Create a Flux Configuration

  • Works with AKS (-t managedClusters), Azure Arc (-t connectedClusters), and AKS hybrid (-t provisionedClusters).
  • Example for Azure Arc: 
    az k8s-configuration flux create -g flux-demo-rg \
  -c flux-demo-arc \
  -n cluster-config \
  --namespace cluster-config \
  -t connectedClusters \
  --scope cluster \
  -u https://github.com/Azure/gitops-flux2-kustomize-helm-mt \
  --branch main \
  --kustomization name=infra path=./infrastructure prune=true \
  --kustomization name=apps path=./apps/staging prune=true dependsOn=["infra"]
  • For AKS, use -t managedClusters and set -c to your AKS cluster name.

Best Practices (2025)

  • Use separate namespaces for Flux system and configuration objects.
  • Use prune=true to ensure deleted resources in Git are also removed from the cluster.
  • Use dependsOn to control kustomization order.
  • Store secrets in Azure Key Vault and reference them securely in manifests.
  • Use branch protection and signed commits for GitOps repos.
  • Monitor compliance state with az k8s-configuration flux show ....
  • Use private Git repos and deploy with SSH or token authentication for production.

Validate Deployment

  • Check compliance state: 
    az k8s-configuration flux show -g flux-demo-rg -c flux-demo-arc -n cluster-config -t connectedClusters
  • Confirm namespaces: 
    kubectl get namespaces
  • Confirm Flux controllers: 
    kubectl get pods -n flux-system
  • Confirm kustomizations, sources, and releases: 
    kubectl get kustomizations -A
kubectl get gitrepositories -A
kubectl get helmreleases -A

References