App-of-Apps Pattern

Use App-of-Apps when you need one control point for many related applications.

When to use it

• You operate many services per environment.
• You want deterministic bootstrap of shared components.
• You need clear separation between platform and app repos.

Recommended layout

repo/
  apps/
    root-app.yaml
    platform/
      ingress.yaml
      observability.yaml
    services/
      payments.yaml
      api.yaml
      web.yaml

root-app.yaml points Argo CD at the directory containing child Application manifests.

Guardrails

• Keep child apps small and focused.
• Use sync waves or dependency ordering where required.
• Avoid hidden side effects in hooks.

Validation

• Parent app is Synced and Healthy.
• Child apps converge to expected state.
• Failed child app does not block unrelated services from independent updates.

Further reading

• Argo CD App-of-Apps pattern