What Is GitOps? Infrastructure Driven by Git
GitOps uses Git as the single source of truth for infrastructure and deployments. Here's how it applies to OpenClaw on Fly.io.
GitOps is an operational framework that uses Git as the single source of truth for declarative infrastructure and applications. Instead of running kubectl commands or clicking in a cloud console, you commit configuration changes to Git and an operator syncs the actual state to match.
Core Principles
- The entire system state is described in Git
- A single canonical version exists in the Git history
- Changes are made via Git commits (no direct infrastructure edits)
- Software agents ensure the actual state matches the desired state
GitOps with Fly.io
Fly's native workflow already leans GitOps. Your fly.toml lives in your repo. fly deploy reads it and applies changes. For a purer GitOps approach, tools like Pulumi or Terraform can manage Fly resources alongside your application code.
OpenClaw and GitOps
OpenClaw's JSON config belongs in your Git repository. Your deployment pipeline reads it and applies it to Fly. This way, every config change is tracked in Git, can be code-reviewed, and can be rolled back by reverting a commit.
ArgoCD and Flux
If you want Kubernetes-level GitOps with Fly, you can run ArgoCD or Flux to watch your Git repo and sync OpenClaw configuration changes automatically. This is more relevant for teams running multiple Fly apps.