ArgoCD

ArgoCD is a declarative GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes that exposes Prometheus-format metrics from three core components: the application controller (:8082/metrics), the API server (:8083/metrics), and the repo server (:8084/metrics). The OpenTelemetry Collector scrapes these endpoints using the Prometheus receiver, collecting metrics across application sync status, health state, reconciliation performance, Git request latency, and gRPC request rates. This guide configures the receiver, connects to an ArgoCD installation on Kubernetes, and ships metrics to base14 Scout.

Prerequisites

Requirement	Minimum	Recommended
ArgoCD	2.5	2.13+
OTel Collector Contrib	0.90.0	0.127.0+
base14 Scout	Any	—

Before starting:

ArgoCD must be running on a Kubernetes cluster
Metrics ports (8082, 8083, 8084) must be accessible from the host or pod running the Collector
ArgoCD exposes metrics by default — no additional configuration is needed on the ArgoCD side
OTel Collector installed — see Kubernetes Helm Setup

What You'll Monitor

Application State (controller): sync status (synced, out-of-sync), health status (healthy, degraded, missing, unknown), app count per cluster and project, orphaned resource count
Reconciliation (controller): reconciliation duration per destination cluster, kubectl execution count and duration, kubectl request/response sizes
Cluster (controller): cluster connection status, cluster cache age, API resource objects count, cluster event totals
API Server: ArgoCD version info, gRPC request rates and totals by method, kubectl and Redis request performance
Repository Operations (repo-server): Git request duration and count by repo and request type (fetch, ls-remote), manifest generation time, pending request count
Notifications (optional): Go runtime and process metrics for the notifications controller

Full metric list: port-forward each component and run curl -s http://localhost:{port}/metrics against your ArgoCD installation.

Access Setup

ArgoCD exposes Prometheus metrics by default on all components. No additional configuration is needed to enable the endpoints.

Each component exposes metrics on a dedicated port:

Component	Default Port	Endpoint
argocd-application-controller	8082	`/metrics`
argocd-server	8083	`/metrics`
argocd-repo-server	8084	`/metrics`
argocd-applicationset-controller	8080	`/metrics`
argocd-notifications-controller	9001	`/metrics`

Manifest Install

When installed via plain manifests (kubectl apply), ArgoCD creates dedicated metrics services:

Service Name	Port
`argocd-metrics`	8082
`argocd-server-metrics`	8083
`argocd-repo-server`	8084
`argocd-notifications-controller-metrics`	9001

Verify the endpoints are working:

Verify access (manifest install)
# Port-forward the application controller metrics
kubectl -n argocd port-forward svc/argocd-metrics 8082:8082

# In another terminal, check metrics
curl -s http://localhost:8082/metrics | head -20

# Verify a key ArgoCD metric exists
curl -s http://localhost:8082/metrics | grep argocd_app_info

Helm Install

When installed via the Helm chart (argo/argo-cd), metrics services are not created by default. Enable them in your Helm values:

values.yaml
controller:
  metrics:
    enabled: true

server:
  metrics:
    enabled: true

repoServer:
  metrics:
    enabled: true

notifications:
  metrics:
    enabled: true

Or pass the flags directly:

Helm install with metrics
helm install argocd argo/argo-cd \
  --namespace argocd --create-namespace \
  --set controller.metrics.enabled=true \
  --set server.metrics.enabled=true \
  --set repoServer.metrics.enabled=true \
  --set notifications.metrics.enabled=true

With metrics enabled, the Helm chart creates these services:

Service Name	Port
`argocd-application-controller-metrics`	8082
`argocd-server-metrics`	8083
`argocd-repo-server-metrics`	8084
`argocd-notifications-controller-metrics`	9001

Verify:

Verify access (Helm install)
kubectl -n argocd port-forward svc/argocd-application-controller-metrics 8082:8082

curl -s http://localhost:8082/metrics | grep argocd_app_info

In Kubernetes, the Collector typically runs as a sidecar or DaemonSet and accesses these ports via the cluster network. No port-forwarding is needed in that case.

Configuration

ArgoCD has three primary components that expose metrics. The Collector configuration uses one scrape job per component.

Manifest Install

config/otel-collector.yaml
receivers:
  prometheus:
    config:
      scrape_configs:
        - job_name: argocd-application-controller
          scrape_interval: 30s
          metrics_path: /metrics
          static_configs:
            - targets:
                - argocd-metrics.argocd.svc.cluster.local:8082

        - job_name: argocd-server
          scrape_interval: 30s
          metrics_path: /metrics
          static_configs:
            - targets:
                - argocd-server-metrics.argocd.svc.cluster.local:8083

        - job_name: argocd-repo-server
          scrape_interval: 30s
          metrics_path: /metrics
          static_configs:
            - targets:
                - argocd-repo-server.argocd.svc.cluster.local:8084

processors:
  resource:
    attributes:
      - key: environment
        value: ${env:ENVIRONMENT}
        action: upsert
      - key: service.name
        value: ${env:SERVICE_NAME}
        action: upsert

  batch:
    timeout: 10s
    send_batch_size: 1024

# Export to base14 Scout
exporters:
  otlphttp/b14:
    endpoint: ${env:OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT}
    tls:
      insecure_skip_verify: true

service:
  pipelines:
    metrics:
      receivers: [prometheus]
      processors: [batch, resource]
      exporters: [otlphttp/b14]

Helm Install

When using the Helm chart with metrics services enabled, the service names differ:

config/otel-collector.yaml (Helm)
receivers:
  prometheus:
    config:
      scrape_configs:
        - job_name: argocd-application-controller
          scrape_interval: 30s
          metrics_path: /metrics
          static_configs:
            - targets:
                - argocd-application-controller-metrics.argocd.svc.cluster.local:8082

        - job_name: argocd-server
          scrape_interval: 30s
          metrics_path: /metrics
          static_configs:
            - targets:
                - argocd-server-metrics.argocd.svc.cluster.local:8083

        - job_name: argocd-repo-server
          scrape_interval: 30s
          metrics_path: /metrics
          static_configs:
            - targets:
                - argocd-repo-server-metrics.argocd.svc.cluster.local:8084

processors:
  resource:
    attributes:
      - key: environment
        value: ${env:ENVIRONMENT}
        action: upsert
      - key: service.name
        value: ${env:SERVICE_NAME}
        action: upsert

  batch:
    timeout: 10s
    send_batch_size: 1024

exporters:
  otlphttp/b14:
    endpoint: ${env:OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT}
    tls:
      insecure_skip_verify: true

service:
  pipelines:
    metrics:
      receivers: [prometheus]
      processors: [batch, resource]
      exporters: [otlphttp/b14]

Environment Variables

.env
ENVIRONMENT=your_environment
SERVICE_NAME=your_service_name
OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT=https://<your-tenant>.base14.io

Kubernetes Service Discovery

For dynamic scrape target discovery, use kubernetes_sd_configs instead of static targets. This automatically discovers ArgoCD metrics services:

config/otel-collector.yaml (service discovery)
receivers:
  prometheus:
    config:
      scrape_configs:
        - job_name: argocd
          scrape_interval: 30s
          kubernetes_sd_configs:
            - role: endpoints
              namespaces:
                names:
                  - argocd
          relabel_configs:
            - source_labels: [__meta_kubernetes_service_name]
              regex: "argocd-metrics|argocd-server-metrics|argocd-repo-server|argocd-application-controller-metrics|argocd-repo-server-metrics"
              action: keep
            - source_labels: [__meta_kubernetes_service_name]
              target_label: argocd_component

This approach works with both manifest and Helm installations.

Filtering Metrics

ArgoCD components expose Go runtime and process metrics alongside ArgoCD-specific metrics. The server also exposes standard gRPC metrics. To collect only relevant metrics:

config/otel-collector.yaml (filter)
receivers:
  prometheus:
    config:
      scrape_configs:
        - job_name: argocd-application-controller
          scrape_interval: 30s
          metrics_path: /metrics
          static_configs:
            - targets:
                - argocd-metrics.argocd.svc.cluster.local:8082
          metric_relabel_configs:
            - source_labels: [__name__]
              regex: "argocd_.*"
              action: keep

        - job_name: argocd-server
          scrape_interval: 30s
          metrics_path: /metrics
          static_configs:
            - targets:
                - argocd-server-metrics.argocd.svc.cluster.local:8083
          metric_relabel_configs:
            - source_labels: [__name__]
              regex: "argocd_.*|grpc_server_.*"
              action: keep

        - job_name: argocd-repo-server
          scrape_interval: 30s
          metrics_path: /metrics
          static_configs:
            - targets:
                - argocd-repo-server.argocd.svc.cluster.local:8084
          metric_relabel_configs:
            - source_labels: [__name__]
              regex: "argocd_.*|grpc_server_.*"
              action: keep

Verify the Setup

Start the Collector and check for metrics within 60 seconds:

Verify metrics collection
# Check Collector logs for successful scrape
kubectl logs -n <collector-namespace> <collector-pod> \
  | grep -i "argocd"

# Verify ArgoCD controller metrics directly
kubectl -n argocd port-forward svc/argocd-metrics 8082:8082
curl -s http://localhost:8082/metrics \
  | grep argocd_app_info

# Check server metrics
kubectl -n argocd port-forward svc/argocd-server-metrics 8083:8083
curl -s http://localhost:8083/metrics \
  | grep grpc_server_handled_total

Troubleshooting

Connection refused on metrics port

Cause: Collector cannot reach ArgoCD pods at the configured service address.

Fix:

Verify the metrics services exist: kubectl -n argocd get svc | grep metrics
Service names differ between manifest and Helm installs — see Access Setup
Check network policies — ArgoCD creates NetworkPolicy resources that may block Collector access
Confirm the Collector pod can reach the argocd namespace

No application metrics (argocd_app_info missing)

Cause: No ArgoCD Applications have been created yet.

Fix:

ArgoCD only emits argocd_app_* metrics when at least one Application CR exists
Create a sample Application to verify: kubectl -n argocd get applications
Once an Application is synced, argocd_app_info, argocd_app_reconcile, and argocd_cluster_* metrics appear

No metrics appearing in Scout

Cause: Metrics are collected but not exported.

Fix:

Check Collector logs for export errors: kubectl logs <collector-pod>
Verify OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT is set correctly
Confirm the pipeline includes both the receiver and exporter

Partial metrics — only some components reporting

Cause: Not all ArgoCD component endpoints are configured in the scrape config.

Fix:

Verify all three scrape jobs are present in the Collector config
Check that service names match your install method (manifest vs Helm)
Verify each service is reachable: kubectl -n argocd port-forward svc/<service-name> <port>:<port>

Helm install — no metrics services found

Cause: The Helm chart does not create metrics services by default.

Fix:

Enable metrics in Helm values: controller.metrics.enabled=true, server.metrics.enabled=true, repoServer.metrics.enabled=true
Upgrade: helm upgrade argocd argo/argo-cd -n argocd -f values.yaml
Verify: kubectl -n argocd get svc | grep metrics

FAQ

Does this work with ArgoCD installed via Helm?

Yes. Enable metrics services in the Helm values by setting controller.metrics.enabled, server.metrics.enabled, and repoServer.metrics.enabled to true. The Helm chart creates dedicated metrics services with different names than the manifest install — see Access Setup for the full mapping. Verify your service names with kubectl -n argocd get svc.

How do I monitor ArgoCD in a multi-cluster setup?

Each ArgoCD instance manages one or more target clusters. Deploy one Collector config per ArgoCD control plane. The argocd_cluster_info metric includes a server label identifying the managed cluster, and argocd_cluster_connection_status reports whether each cluster is reachable.

Which component exposes sync status metrics?

The application controller (port 8082) emits all application state metrics. The argocd_app_info metric includes sync_status and health_status labels:

argocd_app_info{name="guestbook",sync_status="OutOfSync",health_status="Missing",...} 1

The server (port 8083) only exposes API/gRPC request metrics and ArgoCD version info (argocd_info).

Can I use Kubernetes service discovery instead of static targets?

Yes. See the Kubernetes Service Discovery section above. This approach uses kubernetes_sd_configs with relabel_configs to match ArgoCD metrics services automatically and works with both manifest and Helm installations.

What is the difference between manifest and Helm service names?

The service names for metrics differ between install methods:

Component	Manifest	Helm (metrics enabled)
Application Controller	`argocd-metrics`	`argocd-application-controller-metrics`
Server	`argocd-server-metrics`	`argocd-server-metrics`
Repo Server	`argocd-repo-server`	`argocd-repo-server-metrics`
Notifications	`argocd-notifications-controller-metrics`	`argocd-notifications-controller-metrics`

Always verify with kubectl -n argocd get svc to confirm the service names in your environment.

How do I monitor ArgoCD with Prometheus?

ArgoCD exposes Prometheus-format metrics on dedicated endpoints (ports 8082, 8083, 8084) for the application controller, API server, and repo server. Scrape these endpoints using the OpenTelemetry Collector's Prometheus receiver or a native Prometheus ServiceMonitor. See Configuration for complete scrape configs.

What metrics does ArgoCD expose?

ArgoCD exposes metrics across five categories: argocd_app_info (sync and health status per application), argocd_app_reconcile (reconciliation duration), argocd_git_request_total (Git fetch/ls-remote counts and duration), argocd_cluster_connection_status (managed cluster connectivity), and grpc_server_handled_total (API request rates). Run curl http://localhost:8082/metrics against a running instance for the full list.

What is the default ArgoCD metrics endpoint?

The application controller exposes metrics at :8082/metrics, the API server at :8083/metrics, and the repo server at :8084/metrics. These are enabled by default in manifest installs. For Helm installs, set controller.metrics.enabled, server.metrics.enabled, and repoServer.metrics.enabled to true.

What's Next?

Create Dashboards: Explore pre-built dashboards or build your own. See Create Your First Dashboard
Monitor More Components: Add monitoring for etcd, Consul, and other components
Fine-tune Collection: Use metric_relabel_configs to focus on application sync and health metrics for production alerting

OTel Collector Configuration — Advanced collector configuration
Kubernetes Helm Setup — Production deployment on Kubernetes
Docker Compose Setup — Run the Collector locally
Creating Alerts — Alert on ArgoCD metrics
etcd Monitoring — Often co-deployed with ArgoCD on Kubernetes

Was this page helpful?

Prerequisites​

What You'll Monitor​

Access Setup​

Manifest Install​

Helm Install​

Configuration​

Manifest Install​

Helm Install​

Environment Variables​

Kubernetes Service Discovery​

Filtering Metrics​

Verify the Setup​

Troubleshooting​

Connection refused on metrics port​

No application metrics (argocd_app_info missing)​

No metrics appearing in Scout​

Partial metrics — only some components reporting​

Helm install — no metrics services found​

FAQ​

What's Next?​

Related Guides​

Prerequisites

What You'll Monitor

Access Setup

Manifest Install

Helm Install

Configuration

Manifest Install

Helm Install

Environment Variables

Kubernetes Service Discovery

Filtering Metrics

Verify the Setup

Troubleshooting

Connection refused on metrics port

No application metrics (argocd_app_info missing)

No metrics appearing in Scout

Partial metrics — only some components reporting

Helm install — no metrics services found

FAQ

What's Next?

Related Guides