That was our starting point. Multi-tenancy in Kubernetes is complex. You don’t just deploy tools — you build the platform others will depend on. And while Argo CD is a powerful cornerstone for…

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A comprehensive load testing experiment demonstrates how Argo CD performs at scale with up to 1,000 virtual clusters using vCluster technology. The test reveals practical scaling limits: Argo CD handles around 500 applications and 50-60 clusters before requiring significant tuning. Key findings include memory pressure on Application Controllers around 100 vClusters, the need for resource limit adjustments, and architectural considerations for multi-tenant GitOps platforms. The experiment used over €20,000 worth of infrastructure on STACKIT and provides detailed insights into component-specific bottlenecks, optimization strategies, and alternative approaches like Kargo for enterprise-scale deployments.

How We Load Test Argo CD at Scale: 1,000 vClusters with GitOps on Kubernetes

Introduction: The Challenge of Multi-Tenancy at Scale

Architecture & Workflow: How We Scaled Argo CD with 1,000 vClusters

Test Scenario 1: Maximum Cluster Connections (No Apps)