Cloud Computing · advanced
Cloud-Native Platform Engineering: Self-Healing GitOps Pipeline
A production-grade Kubernetes environment with ArgoCD GitOps, Istio service mesh, and automated canary releases.
Project overview
As companies move beyond basic DevOps, they need Platform Engineers who can build "Internal Developer Platforms" (IDPs) that provide secure, self-service infrastructure.
Real-world use case
A high-growth fintech startup that requires strict security compliance (mTLS) and 99.99% availability for its microservices.
Tools and technologies
- Kubernetes (EKS)
- ArgoCD
- Istio
- Helm
- Terraform
Skills you can demonstrate
Platform Engineering, K8s, GitOps, Istio
Build roadmap
- Provision the EKS cluster
Use Terraform to create an EKS cluster with 2–3 worker nodes. Set up kubectl access. Note: EKS is NOT free-tier — control plane costs ~$0.10/hr (~$73/mo) plus worker EC2 costs. Tear down when not in use. - Install ArgoCD
Deploy with Helm. Connect it to a Git repo that will hold all your Kubernetes manifests. - Deploy a sample microservice
Build a tiny Go or Python service. Package with Helm. Push to your Git repo and watch ArgoCD deploy it automatically. - Install Istio with mTLS
Enable sidecar injection. Configure strict mTLS between services. Verify with istioctl. - Set up canary deployments
Use Istio VirtualService with weighted routing: 90% v1, 10% v2. Use Argo Rollouts to automate the shift based on metrics. - Demo the self-healing
Delete a pod live on camera. Watch ArgoCD recreate it in seconds. Kill a node. Watch the workload reschedule. Record it all.
Ways to extend the project
Integrate "K8sgpt" into the cluster to provide AI-driven explanations and remediation steps for any failed Kubernetes resources.
How to showcase your work
- GitHub: Comprehensive GitOps repository with Helm charts.
- LinkedIn: Video of a "self-healing" demo where a deleted pod is instantly recreated by ArgoCD.
- Resume: Focus on "Zero Trust" architecture and "Developer Experience".