feat: Introduces Server-Side Apply as sync option (#9711)

* feat: Introduces Server-Side Apply as sync option

Signed-off-by: Leonardo Luz Almeida <leonardo_almeida@intuit.com>

* add docs

Signed-off-by: Leonardo Luz Almeida <leonardo_almeida@intuit.com>

* Implement the structured-merge diff when ssa is enabled

Signed-off-by: Leonardo Luz Almeida <leonardo_almeida@intuit.com>

* update gitops-engine

Signed-off-by: Leonardo Luz Almeida <leonardo_almeida@intuit.com>

* update gitops-engine

Signed-off-by: Leonardo Luz Almeida <leonardo_almeida@intuit.com>

* go mod tidy

Signed-off-by: Leonardo Luz Almeida <leonardo_almeida@intuit.com>

* Add server-side apply option to the UI

Signed-off-by: Leonardo Luz Almeida <leonardo_almeida@intuit.com>

* update gitops-engine to master

Signed-off-by: Leonardo Luz Almeida <leonardo_almeida@intuit.com>

* fix live default values

Signed-off-by: Leonardo Luz Almeida <leonardo_almeida@intuit.com>

cmd/argocd/commands/app.go

@@ -1383,6 +1383,7 @@ func NewApplicationSyncCommand(clientOpts *argocdclient.ClientOptions) *cobra.Co
 		strategy                string
 		force                   bool
 		replace                 bool
+		serverSideApply         bool
 		async                   bool
 		retryLimit              int64
 		retryBackoffDuration    time.Duration
@@ -1507,6 +1508,9 @@ func NewApplicationSyncCommand(clientOpts *argocdclient.ClientOptions) *cobra.Co
 					if replace {
 						items = append(items, common.SyncOptionReplace)
 					}
+					if serverSideApply {
+						items = append(items, common.SyncOptionServerSideApply)
+					}
 
 					if len(items) == 0 {
 						// for prevent send even empty array if not need
@@ -1606,6 +1610,7 @@ func NewApplicationSyncCommand(clientOpts *argocdclient.ClientOptions) *cobra.Co
 	command.Flags().StringVar(&strategy, "strategy", "", "Sync strategy (one of: apply|hook)")
 	command.Flags().BoolVar(&force, "force", false, "Use a force apply")
 	command.Flags().BoolVar(&replace, "replace", false, "Use a kubectl create/replace instead apply")
+	command.Flags().BoolVar(&serverSideApply, "server-side", false, "Use server-side apply while syncing the application")
 	command.Flags().BoolVar(&async, "async", false, "Do not wait for application to sync before continuing")
 	command.Flags().StringVar(&local, "local", "", "Path to a local directory. When this flag is present no git queries will be made")
 	command.Flags().StringVar(&localRepoRoot, "local-repo-root", "/", "Path to the repository root. Used together with --local allows setting the repository root")

common/common.go

@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ const (
 	ArgoCDAdminUsername = "admin"
 	// ArgoCDUserAgentName is the default user-agent name used by the gRPC API client library and grpc-gateway
 	ArgoCDUserAgentName = "argocd-client"
+	// ArgoCDSSAManager is the default argocd manager name used by server-side apply syncs
+	ArgoCDSSAManager = "argocd-controller"
 	// AuthCookieName is the HTTP cookie name where we store our auth token
 	AuthCookieName = "argocd.token"
 	// StateCookieName is the HTTP cookie name that holds temporary nonce tokens for CSRF protection

controller/state.go

@@ -467,6 +467,12 @@ func (m *appStateManager) CompareAppState(app *v1alpha1.Application, project *ap
 		conditions = append(conditions, v1alpha1.ApplicationCondition{Type: v1alpha1.ApplicationConditionUnknownError, Message: err.Error(), LastTransitionTime: &now})
 	}
 	diffConfigBuilder.WithGVKParser(gvkParser)
+	diffConfigBuilder.WithManager(common.ArgoCDSSAManager)
+
+	// enable structured merge diff if application syncs with server-side apply
+	if app.Spec.SyncPolicy != nil && app.Spec.SyncPolicy.SyncOptions.HasOption("ServerSideApply=true") {
+		diffConfigBuilder.WithStructuredMergeDiff(true)
+	}
 
 	// it is necessary to ignore the error at this point to avoid creating duplicated
 	// application conditions as argo.StateDiffs will validate this diffConfig again.

controller/sync.go

@@ -242,6 +242,8 @@ func (m *appStateManager) SyncAppState(app *v1alpha1.Application, state *v1alpha
 		sync.WithResourceModificationChecker(syncOp.SyncOptions.HasOption("ApplyOutOfSyncOnly=true"), compareResult.diffResultList),
 		sync.WithPrunePropagationPolicy(&prunePropagationPolicy),
 		sync.WithReplace(syncOp.SyncOptions.HasOption(common.SyncOptionReplace)),
+		sync.WithServerSideApply(syncOp.SyncOptions.HasOption(common.SyncOptionServerSideApply)),
+		sync.WithServerSideApplyManager(cdcommon.ArgoCDSSAManager),
 	)
 
 	if err != nil {

docs/user-guide/commands/argocd_app_sync.md

@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ argocd app sync [APPNAME... | -l selector] [flags]
       --retry-limit int                       Max number of allowed sync retries
       --revision string                       Sync to a specific revision. Preserves parameter overrides
   -l, --selector string                       Sync apps that match this label
+      --server-side                           Use server-side apply while syncing the application
       --strategy string                       Sync strategy (one of: apply|hook)
       --timeout uint                          Time out after this many seconds
 ```

docs/user-guide/sync-options.md

@@ -153,6 +153,33 @@ metadata:
     argocd.argoproj.io/sync-options: Replace=true
 ```
 
+## Server-Side Apply
+
+By default, ArgoCD executes `kubectl apply` operation to apply the configuration stored in Git. This is a client
+side operation that relies on `kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration` annotation to store the previous
+resource state. In some cases the resource is too big to fit in 262144 bytes allowed annotation size. In this case
+server-side apply can be used to avoid this issue as the annotation is not used in this case.
+
+```yaml
+apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1
+kind: Application
+spec:
+  syncPolicy:
+    syncOptions:
+    - ServerSideApply=true
+```
+
+If the `ServerSideApply=true` sync option is set the ArgoCD will use `kubectl apply --server-side` command to apply changes.
+
+This can also be configured at individual resource level.
+```yaml
+metadata:
+  annotations:
+    argocd.argoproj.io/sync-options: ServerSideApply=true
+```
+
+Note: [`Replace=true`](#replace-resource-instead-of-applying-changes) takes precedence over `ServerSideApply=true`.
+
 ## Fail the sync if a shared resource is found
 
 By default, ArgoCD will apply all manifests found in the git path configured in the Application regardless if the resources defined in the yamls are already applied by another Application. If the `FailOnSharedResource` sync option is set, ArgoCD will fail the sync whenever it finds a resource in the current Application that is already applied in the cluster by another Application.

go.mod

@@ -253,6 +253,9 @@ require (
 )
 
 replace (
+	// TODO release gitops-engine and remove the line bellow
+	github.com/argoproj/gitops-engine => github.com/argoproj/gitops-engine v0.7.1-0.20220803145758-6cde7989d534
+
 	// https://github.com/golang/go/issues/33546#issuecomment-519656923
 	github.com/go-check/check => github.com/go-check/check v0.0.0-20180628173108-788fd7840127
 

go.sum

@@ -144,8 +144,8 @@ github.com/antonmedv/expr v1.8.9/go.mod h1:5qsM3oLGDND7sDmQGDXHkYfkjYMUX14qsgqmH
 github.com/apache/thrift v0.12.0/go.mod h1:cp2SuWMxlEZw2r+iP2GNCdIi4C1qmUzdZFSVb+bacwQ=
 github.com/apache/thrift v0.13.0/go.mod h1:cp2SuWMxlEZw2r+iP2GNCdIi4C1qmUzdZFSVb+bacwQ=
 github.com/appscode/go v0.0.0-20190808133642-1d4ef1f1c1e0/go.mod h1:iy07dV61Z7QQdCKJCIvUoDL21u6AIceRhZzyleh2ymc=
-github.com/argoproj/gitops-engine v0.7.1-0.20220712234257-67ddccd3cc95 h1:6gKRONJktnW7DoH4vJGm7AL3cbwTgVRmk5TZWvHfM90=
-github.com/argoproj/gitops-engine v0.7.1-0.20220712234257-67ddccd3cc95/go.mod h1:Ojs8A9Zt6h28nHzVAtlegdm52U2jWWnrk5D46B9C3Tw=
+github.com/argoproj/gitops-engine v0.7.1-0.20220803145758-6cde7989d534 h1:O4DzCr5vvhqg89ius4RLutDXjRwXceCHxnDm6GgydE8=
+github.com/argoproj/gitops-engine v0.7.1-0.20220803145758-6cde7989d534/go.mod h1:73eQGDBy7/fxdtNuDenMmxIU8hCT5oaeZCYwGd5HgBg=
 github.com/argoproj/notifications-engine v0.3.1-0.20220430155844-567361917320 h1:XDjtTfccs4rSOT1n+i1zV9RpxQdKky1b4YBic16E0qY=
 github.com/argoproj/notifications-engine v0.3.1-0.20220430155844-567361917320/go.mod h1:R3zlopt+/juYlebQc9Jarn9vBQ2xZruWOWjUNkfGY9M=
 github.com/argoproj/pkg v0.11.1-0.20211203175135-36c59d8fafe0 h1:Cfp7rO/HpVxnwlRqJe0jHiBbZ77ZgXhB6HWlYD02Xdc=

ui/src/app/applications/components/application-sync-options/application-sync-options.tsx

@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ const syncOptions: Array<(props: ApplicationSyncOptionProps) => React.ReactNode>
     props => booleanOption('PruneLast', 'Prune Last', false, props, false),
     props => booleanOption('ApplyOutOfSyncOnly', 'Apply Out of Sync Only', false, props, false),
     props => booleanOption('RespectIgnoreDifferences', 'Respect Ignore Differences', false, props, false),
+    props => booleanOption('ServerSideApply', 'Server-Side Apply', false, props, false),
     props => selectOption('PrunePropagationPolicy', 'Prune Propagation Policy', 'foreground', ['foreground', 'background', 'orphan'], props)
 ];
 

util/argo/diff/diff.go

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/argoproj/gitops-engine/pkg/diff"
 	"github.com/argoproj/gitops-engine/pkg/utils/kube"
+	"github.com/argoproj/gitops-engine/pkg/utils/kube/scheme"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
 )
 
@@ -80,6 +81,20 @@ func (b *DiffConfigBuilder) WithGVKParser(parser *k8smanagedfields.GvkParser) *D
 	return b
 }
 
+// WithStructuredMergeDiff defines if the diff should be calculated using structured
+// merge.
+func (b *DiffConfigBuilder) WithStructuredMergeDiff(smd bool) *DiffConfigBuilder {
+	b.diffConfig.structuredMergeDiff = smd
+	return b
+}
+
+// WithManager defines the manager that should be using during structured
+// merge diffs.
+func (b *DiffConfigBuilder) WithManager(manager string) *DiffConfigBuilder {
+	b.diffConfig.manager = manager
+	return b
+}
+
 // Build will first validate the current state of the diff config and return the
 // DiffConfig implementation if no errors are found. Will return nil and the error
 // details otherwise.
@@ -113,11 +128,18 @@ type DiffConfig interface {
 	// StateCache is used when retrieving the diff from the cache.
 	StateCache() *appstatecache.Cache
 	IgnoreAggregatedRoles() bool
-	// Logger used during the diff
+	// Logger used during the diff.
 	Logger() *logr.Logger
 	// GVKParser returns a parser able to build a TypedValue used in
 	// structured merge diffs.
 	GVKParser() *k8smanagedfields.GvkParser
+	// StructuredMergeDiff defines if the diff should be calculated using
+	// structured merge diffs. Will use standard 3-way merge diffs if
+	// returns false.
+	StructuredMergeDiff() bool
+	// Manager returns the manager that should be used by the diff while
+	// calculating the structured merge diff.
+	Manager() string
 }
 
 // diffConfig defines the configurations used while applying diffs.
@@ -132,6 +154,8 @@ type diffConfig struct {
 	ignoreAggregatedRoles bool
 	logger                *logr.Logger
 	gvkParser             *k8smanagedfields.GvkParser
+	structuredMergeDiff   bool
+	manager               string
 }
 
 func (c *diffConfig) Ignores() []v1alpha1.ResourceIgnoreDifferences {
@@ -164,6 +188,12 @@ func (c *diffConfig) Logger() *logr.Logger {
 func (c *diffConfig) GVKParser() *k8smanagedfields.GvkParser {
 	return c.gvkParser
 }
+func (c *diffConfig) StructuredMergeDiff() bool {
+	return c.structuredMergeDiff
+}
+func (c *diffConfig) Manager() string {
+	return c.manager
+}
 
 // Validate will check the current state of this diffConfig and return
 // error if it finds any required configuration missing.
@@ -217,9 +247,13 @@ func StateDiffs(lives, configs []*unstructured.Unstructured, diffConfig DiffConf
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
 	diffOpts := []diff.Option{
 		diff.WithNormalizer(diffNormalizer),
 		diff.IgnoreAggregatedRoles(diffConfig.IgnoreAggregatedRoles()),
+		diff.WithStructuredMergeDiff(diffConfig.StructuredMergeDiff()),
+		diff.WithGVKParser(diffConfig.GVKParser()),
+		diff.WithManager(diffConfig.Manager()),
 	}
 
 	if diffConfig.Logger() != nil {
@@ -323,7 +357,7 @@ func preDiffNormalize(lives, targets []*unstructured.Unstructured, diffConfig Di
 			idc := NewIgnoreDiffConfig(diffConfig.Ignores(), diffConfig.Overrides())
 			ok, ignoreDiff := idc.HasIgnoreDifference(gvk.Group, gvk.Kind, target.GetName(), target.GetNamespace())
 			if ok && len(ignoreDiff.ManagedFieldsManagers) > 0 {
-				pt := managedfields.ResolveParseableType(gvk, diffConfig.GVKParser())
+				pt := scheme.ResolveParseableType(gvk, diffConfig.GVKParser())
 				var err error
 				live, target, err = managedfields.Normalize(live, target, ignoreDiff.ManagedFieldsManagers, pt)
 				if err != nil {

util/argo/managedfields/managed_fields.go

@@ -3,13 +3,9 @@ package managedfields
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
-	"reflect"
-	"sync"
 
 	v1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
-	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
-	k8smanagedfields "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/managedfields"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/structured-merge-diff/v4/fieldpath"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/structured-merge-diff/v4/typed"
 )
@@ -125,60 +121,3 @@ func trustedManager(curManager string, trustedManagers []string) bool {
 	}
 	return false
 }
-
-func ResolveParseableType(gvk schema.GroupVersionKind, parser *k8smanagedfields.GvkParser) *typed.ParseableType {
-	if parser == nil {
-		return &typed.DeducedParseableType
-	}
-	pt := resolverFromStaticParser(gvk, parser)
-	if pt == nil {
-		return parser.Type(gvk)
-	}
-	return pt
-}
-
-func resolverFromStaticParser(gvk schema.GroupVersionKind, parser *k8smanagedfields.GvkParser) *typed.ParseableType {
-	gvkNameMap := getGvkMap(parser)
-	name := gvkNameMap[gvk]
-
-	p := StaticParser()
-	if p == nil || name == "" {
-		return nil
-	}
-	pt := p.Type(name)
-	if pt.IsValid() {
-		return &pt
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-var gvkMap map[schema.GroupVersionKind]string
-var extractOnce sync.Once
-
-func getGvkMap(parser *k8smanagedfields.GvkParser) map[schema.GroupVersionKind]string {
-	extractOnce.Do(func() {
-		gvkMap = extractGvkMap(parser)
-	})
-	return gvkMap
-}
-
-func extractGvkMap(parser *k8smanagedfields.GvkParser) map[schema.GroupVersionKind]string {
-	results := make(map[schema.GroupVersionKind]string)
-
-	value := reflect.ValueOf(parser)
-	gvkValue := reflect.Indirect(value).FieldByName("gvks")
-	iter := gvkValue.MapRange()
-	for iter.Next() {
-		group := iter.Key().FieldByName("Group").String()
-		version := iter.Key().FieldByName("Version").String()
-		kind := iter.Key().FieldByName("Kind").String()
-		gvk := schema.GroupVersionKind{
-			Group:   group,
-			Version: version,
-			Kind:    kind,
-		}
-		name := iter.Value().String()
-		results[gvk] = name
-	}
-	return results
-}

util/argo/managedfields/managed_fields_test.go

@@ -12,11 +12,12 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2/util/argo/managedfields"
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2/util/argo/testdata"
+	"github.com/argoproj/gitops-engine/pkg/utils/kube/scheme"
 )
 
 func TestNormalize(t *testing.T) {
 
-	parser := managedfields.StaticParser()
+	parser := scheme.StaticParser()
 	t.Run("will remove conflicting fields if managed by trusted managers", func(t *testing.T) {
 		// given
 		desiredState := StrToUnstructured(testdata.DesiredDeploymentYaml)