Config Connector brings Google Cloud resource management into the Kubernetes ecosystem, enabling GitOps for infrastructure.
What is Config Connector?
Config Connector is an open-source Kubernetes add-on that lets you manage Google Cloud resources using standard Kubernetes tooling. Instead of using separate tools like Terraform or the gcloud CLI, you define GCP resources as Kubernetes Custom Resources in YAML files. Config Connector watches these resources and creates, updates, or deletes the corresponding Google Cloud resources to match your desired state.
Core Features
- Over 150 supported resources: Manage Compute Engine, Cloud SQL, Pub/Sub, BigQuery, IAM, and more
- Kubernetes-native: Use kubectl, Helm, Kustomize, and ArgoCD with GCP resources
- Continuous reconciliation: Automatic drift detection and correction
- Workload Identity: Secure authentication without service account keys
- Namespace isolation: Scope resources to Kubernetes namespaces
- Dependency management: Resources reference each other using Kubernetes object references
Typical Use Cases
GitOps Infrastructure Management
Store all infrastructure definitions in Git alongside application code. Use ArgoCD or Flux to automatically apply changes when commits are merged, turning pull requests into infrastructure change reviews with full audit trails.
Self-Service Developer Platforms
Platform teams define templates for common infrastructure patterns. Developers request resources by creating Kubernetes objects, and Config Connector provisions them automatically, without requiring direct GCP console access.
Multi-Environment Deployments
Use Kustomize overlays to define environment-specific variations. The same base infrastructure definition deploys to development, staging, and production with appropriate sizing and configuration differences.
Benefits
- Unified tooling: One workflow for applications and infrastructure
- GitOps-ready: Native integration with ArgoCD, Flux, and other GitOps tools
- Continuous compliance: Drift detection helps ensure actual state matches desired state
- No external state: Kubernetes is the source of truth, no separate state files
- Team familiarity: Kubernetes teams use skills they already have
Limitations
- GCP only: No multi-cloud support
- Not complete: Not every GCP resource is supported
- Kubernetes dependency: Requires a Kubernetes cluster as the operational foundation
Integration with innFactory
As a Google Cloud Partner, innFactory helps you implement Config Connector for infrastructure management. We design GitOps workflows with ArgoCD, create reusable resource templates for your organization, and train your teams on Kubernetes-native infrastructure management.
Available Tiers & Options
GKE Add-on
- Automatic installation and updates
- Google-managed lifecycle
- Integrated with GKE
- Less configuration flexibility
Manual Installation / Config Controller
- Full control over version
- Works on any Kubernetes cluster
- Custom namespace configuration
- Manual upgrade management
Typical Use Cases
Technical Specifications
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Config Connector?
Config Connector is an open-source Kubernetes add-on that lets you manage Google Cloud resources using Kubernetes Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs). You define GCP resources like Cloud SQL databases or Pub/Sub topics as YAML manifests, and Config Connector creates and manages them.
How does Config Connector compare to Terraform?
Both manage infrastructure as code. Terraform uses its own state file and the HCL language, requiring explicit applies. Config Connector uses Kubernetes as the state store and standard YAML manifests, reconciling continuously like a Kubernetes controller. Terraform supports multi-cloud, while Config Connector is limited to GCP.
Which Google Cloud resources are supported?
Config Connector supports over 150 Google Cloud resource types, including Compute Engine, Cloud SQL, Cloud Storage, Pub/Sub, BigQuery, IAM, and networking resources. Coverage is not complete; check the official documentation for the current list.
Can I use Config Connector outside GKE?
Yes. While the GKE add-on is the easiest installation method, Config Connector can also be installed via Config Controller or manually on any Kubernetes cluster, including on-premises clusters or other providers' managed Kubernetes services.
How does drift detection work?
Config Connector continuously reconciles the desired state defined in Kubernetes with the actual state in Google Cloud. If a resource is modified outside of Kubernetes, Config Connector detects the drift and can automatically restore the desired state.
Note: All product information on this page has been compiled with care, but is provided without guarantee and may be outdated or incomplete. Cloud services evolve rapidly — features, pricing, SLAs, and availability change frequently. Authoritative and up-to-date information can only be found on the official product page of Google Cloud (official documentation). This page does not represent an offer by Google Cloud.
