20 GitOps Interview Questions and Answers

GitOps is a relatively new concept in the world of DevOps, and as such, there aren’t a ton of interview questions out there specifically on the topic. However, given the popularity of GitOps and the fact that it is built on top of existing DevOps concepts and tools, it is likely that you will be asked at least a few questions about it during a DevOps interview. In this article, we’ll go over some of the most common GitOps interview questions and how to answer them.

GitOps Interview Questions and Answers

Here are 20 commonly asked GitOps interview questions and answers to prepare you for your interview:

1. What is GitOps?

GitOps is a way of managing IT infrastructure and applications using git repositories. In a GitOps workflow, changes to infrastructure and applications are made using git pull requests. This allows for better collaboration and visibility into changes, as well as a way to track changes and roll back changes if necessary.

2. How does GitOps differ from DevOps?

GitOps is a specific type of DevOps that relies heavily on git for managing and deploying code changes. In a GitOps workflow, all code changes are made in a git repository and then deployed automatically through a continuous delivery pipeline. This allows for a more streamlined and automated workflow, as well as better tracking and auditing of code changes.

3. What are the key elements of a GitOps implementation?

The key elements of a GitOps implementation are a source control repository, a continuous delivery pipeline, and a deployment tool. The source control repository contains the declarative configuration files that define the desired state of the system. The continuous delivery pipeline automates the process of fetching the configuration files from the repository, building the necessary artifacts, and deploying them to the target environment. The deployment tool ensures that the actual system state matches the desired state defined in the configuration files.

4. Can you explain what Continuous Delivery (CD) and Continuous Deployment (CD) mean in context with GitOps?

Continuous Delivery is the practice of automatically building, testing, and deploying code changes as they are made. Continuous Deployment takes this one step further by automatically deploying code changes to production as they are made, without the need for manual approval. GitOps is a specific implementation of Continuous Delivery and Continuous Deployment that uses a Git repository as the source of truth for what should be deployed to a server.

5. What is your understanding of Git Flow and how it works?

Git Flow is a branching model for Git that allows developers to easily collaborate on code development while keeping a clean and stable master branch. The model was created by Vincent Driessen and published in 2010.

The Git Flow model has two main branches:

1. The master branch: This is the main branch where all production-ready code is stored.
2. The develop branch: This is the branch where all code for the next release is stored.

There are also two supporting branches:

1. The feature branch: This is where code for new features is developed.
2. The release branch: This is where code for a new release is prepared.

Finally, there is the hotfix branch: This is where code for hotfixes (i.e. urgent bug fixes) is developed.

Developers start by creating a new feature branch off of the develop branch. Once the feature is complete, it is merged back into the develop branch. When the develop branch has enough features for a new release, a release branch is created. The release branch is then used to prepare the code for release. This includes things like adding release notes, updating version numbers, etc. Once the code is ready for release, it is merged back into the master branch and tagged with a release number. Finally, the code is merged back into the develop branch.

6. What do you understand about IaC, or Infrastructure as Code?

IaC is a way of managing infrastructure that treats infrastructure resources like code, instead of like physical resources. This means that instead of having to manually provision and manage infrastructure, you can simply write code to describe the infrastructure you need, and then let the code provision and manage the infrastructure for you. This can be a great way to save time and reduce errors in infrastructure management.

7. Why is Git important for implementing GitOps?

Git is important for implementing GitOps because it provides a way to track changes to code over time. This is important for being able to roll back changes if something goes wrong. Additionally, Git can be used to create branches of code, which can be used for experimentation or for developing new features separately from the main codebase.

8. Why is Kubernetes important for implementing GitOps?

Kubernetes is important for implementing GitOps because it provides a platform for automating the deployment and management of containerized applications. This means that once you have your application code stored in a Git repository, you can use Kubernetes to automatically deploy and manage that application. This makes it much easier to manage your application code and keep it up to date.

9. Is there an alternative to using Kubernetes when implementing GitOps?

While Kubernetes is the most popular container orchestration platform and is often used in GitOps workflows, it is not the only option. Other container orchestration platforms such as Docker Swarm and Apache Mesos can also be used.

10. Are there any alternatives to using Git when implementing GitOps?

While Git is the most popular version control system used in GitOps, there are other alternatives that can be used. For example, some organizations may choose to use Bitbucket instead of Git. However, it is important to note that Git is the only version control system that is officially supported by the GitOps tooling.

11. What are some best practices for implementing GitOps?

There are a few key best practices to keep in mind when implementing GitOps:

1. Use a dedicated Git repository for your GitOps workflow
2. Use a declarative approach to defining your infrastructure and applications
3. Automate as much of the workflow as possible
4. Make use of tools like Jenkins or Travis CI for continuous integration
5. Use a tool like Helm to manage your application deployments
6. Monitor your GitOps workflow closely and address any issues that arise quickly

12. How can you use monitoring tools like Prometheus, Grafana and AlertManager when implementing GitOps?

By using monitoring tools like Prometheus, Grafana and AlertManager, you can get visibility into the health of your applications and infrastructure. This visibility can be used to trigger alerts and take action accordingly. Additionally, these tools can be used to generate reports that can be used to improve the overall GitOps process.

13. What’s the difference between GitOps and CD/CI?

GitOps is a specific workflow that uses git as the source of truth for deployments. This means that all code changes, whether they be application code, infrastructure code, or configuration code, are tracked in a git repository. From there, a Continuous Delivery/Continuous Integration pipeline can be used to automatically deploy those changes.

The main difference between GitOps and CD/CI is that with GitOps, the git repository is the source of truth for deployments, while with CD/CI the code repository is separate from the deployment repository. This means that with GitOps, all code changes must be made through git, while with CD/CI there is more flexibility in how code changes are made and tracked.

14. Can you give me some examples of real-world companies that have implemented GitOps workflows successfully?

Google, Facebook, and Netflix are all companies that have implemented GitOps workflows in order to manage their large and complex codebases. Google has even open-sourced their own GitOps tooling, called Spinnaker.

15. Do you think GitOps needs to be used in conjunction with other technologies like Docker containers or Kubernetes?

While GitOps can be used with other technologies, it is not necessary. GitOps can be used as a standalone tool for managing deployments.

16. What is the difference between continuous delivery and continuous deployment?

Continuous delivery is the practice of automatically building, testing, and deploying code changes as they are made. Continuous deployment takes this one step further by automatically pushing code changes to production as soon as they are ready, without any manual intervention.

17. What is the role of a pipeline tool like Jenkins in a GitOps workflow?

The pipeline tool is responsible for building, testing and deploying the code in a GitOps workflow.

18. What is Helm?

Helm is a tool that helps you manage Kubernetes applications. It allows you to define, install, and upgrade your applications. Helm also makes it easy to roll back changes if needed.

19. What is the main benefit of having a single source of truth when deploying applications?

The main benefit of having a single source of truth when deploying applications is that it reduces the chances of human error. When there are multiple copies of the same application, it is easy for someone to make a mistake and deploy the wrong version. Having a single source of truth ensures that everyone is working off of the same codebase, and that the code that is being deployed is the most up-to-date version.

20. When would you not use a GitOps workflow?

There are a few reasons why you might not want to use a GitOps workflow. One reason is if you have a lot of legacy infrastructure that is not easily managed by code. Another reason is if you have a lot of manual processes that are not easily automated. Finally, if you are not comfortable with giving developers direct access to production infrastructure, then GitOps might not be the right choice for you.