Argo not detecting changes in Workflow Templates.

[EStork09]

When I am working on using workflows to do a cron workflow, when I make a change in the manifest, it isn't being detected by argo as a change. I have also made changes to the

For example in argo: spec.action from create to apply, and it still didn't make a change, I assumed that this would be a thing about argo comparing the string, but the spec.action I think is something that should be picked up. Am I missing something? I am argo 3.3.7.

Desired:

apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1
kind: WorkflowTemplate
metadata:
  annotations:
    argocd.argoproj.io/sync-wave: '0'
    argocd.argoproj.io/tracking-id: otel-sample:argoproj.io/WorkflowTemplate:otel-sample/k6-otel-samples
  labels:
    app.kubernetes.io/component: k6-loadtest
    app.kubernetes.io/name: otel-sample
  name: k6-otel-samples
  namespace: otel-sample
spec:
  activeDeadlineSeconds: 600
  entrypoint: k6-otel-samples
  podSpecPatch: |
    {
      "initContainers":[
        {
          "name":"init",
          "volumeMounts":[
            {
              "name":"init-temp-dir",
              "mountPath":"/tmp"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "volumes":[
        {
          "name":"init-temp-dir",
          "emptyDir":{
            "sizeLimit":"50Mi"
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  securityContext:
    fsGroup: 65532
    runAsGroup: 65532
    runAsUser: 65532
  serviceAccountName: argo-workflow-k6
  templates:
    - name: k6-otel-samples
      resource:
        action: create
        failureCondition: status.stage == error
        manifest: |
          apiVersion: k6.io/v1alpha1
          kind: TestRun
          metadata:
            generateName: k6-otel-samples-
            namespace: otel-sample
          spec:
            parallelism: 2
            quiet: "false"
            separate: true
            runner:
              env:
                - name: OTEL_SAMPLE_NAMESPACE
                  value: "otel-sample"
                - name: OTEL_SAMPLE_HTTP_PORT
                  value: "8080"
                - name: K6_OTEL_METRIC_PREFIX
                  value: k6_otel_sample_
                - name: K6_OTEL_HTTP_EXPORTER_ENDPOINT
                  value: node-collector.opentelemetry-operator-system.svc.cluster.local:4318
                - name: K6_OTEL_HTTP_EXPORTER_INSECURE
                  value: "true"
                - name: K6_OTEL_EXPORTER_TYPE
                  value: http
                - name: K6_OTEL_HTTP_EXPORTER_URL_PATH
                  value: /v1/metrics
                - name: K6_LOG_OUTPUT
                  value: stdout
                - name: k6_LOG_FORMAT
                  value: json
                - name: K6_TRACES_OUTPUT
                  value: otel=http://node-collector.opentelemetry-operator-system.svc.cluster.local:4318,proto=http
              volumeMounts:
                - mountPath: /tmp
                  name: tmp
              volumes:
                - name: tmp
                  emptyDir:
                    sizeLimit: 500Mi
              securityContext:
                runAsNonRoot: true
                runAsUser: 12345
                runAsGroup: 12345
                fsGroup: 12345
              containerSecurityContext:
                allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
                capabilities:
                  drop:
                    - ALL
                readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
                seccompProfile:
                  type: RuntimeDefault
            starter:
              securityContext:
                runAsNonRoot: true
                runAsUser: 65532
                runAsGroup: 65532
                fsGroup: 65532
              containerSecurityContext:
                allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
                capabilities:
                  drop:
                    - ALL
                readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
                seccompProfile:
                  type: RuntimeDefault
            script:
              configMap:
                name: k6-otel-samples
                file: otel-samples.js
            arguments: --vus 5 --duration 60s -o experimental-opentelemetry
        setOwnerReference: true
        successCondition: status.stage == finished

Live:

apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1
kind: WorkflowTemplate
metadata:
  annotations:
    argocd.argoproj.io/sync-wave: '0'
    argocd.argoproj.io/tracking-id: otel-sample:argoproj.io/WorkflowTemplate:otel-sample/k6-otel-samples
    kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration: >
      {"apiVersion":"argoproj.io/v1alpha1","kind":"WorkflowTemplate","metadata":{"annotations":{"argocd.argoproj.io/sync-wave":"0","argocd.argoproj.io/tracking-id":"otel-sample:argoproj.io/WorkflowTemplate:otel-sample/k6-otel-samples"},"labels":{"app.kubernetes.io/component":"k6-loadtest","app.kubernetes.io/name":"otel-sample"},"name":"k6-otel-samples","namespace":"otel-sample"},"spec":{"activeDeadlineSeconds":600,"entrypoint":"k6-otel-samples","podSpecPatch":"{\n 
      \"initContainers\":[\n    {\n      \"name\":\"init\",\n     
      \"volumeMounts\":[\n        {\n         
      \"name\":\"init-temp-dir\",\n          \"mountPath\":\"/tmp\"\n       
      }\n      ]\n    }\n  ],\n  \"volumes\":[\n    {\n     
      \"name\":\"init-temp-dir\",\n      \"emptyDir\":{\n       
      \"sizeLimit\":\"50Mi\"\n      }\n    }\n 
      ]\n}\n","securityContext":{"fsGroup":65532,"runAsGroup":65532,"runAsUser":65532},"serviceAccountName":"argo-workflow-k6","templates":[{"name":"k6-otel-samples","resource":{"action":"create","failureCondition":"status.stage
      == error","manifest":"apiVersion: k6.io/v1alpha1\nkind:
      TestRun\nmetadata:\n  generateName: k6-otel-samples-\n  namespace:
      otel-sample\nspec:\n  parallelism: 2\n  quiet: \"false\"\n  separate:
      true\n  cleanup: \"post\"\n  runner:\n    env:\n      - name:
      OTEL_SAMPLE_NAMESPACE\n        value: \"otel-sample\"\n      - name:
      OTEL_SAMPLE_HTTP_PORT\n        value: \"8080\"\n      - name:
      K6_OTEL_METRIC_PREFIX\n        value: k6_otel_sample_\n      - name:
      K6_OTEL_HTTP_EXPORTER_ENDPOINT\n        value:
      node-collector.opentelemetry-operator-system.svc.cluster.local:4318\n     
      - name: K6_OTEL_HTTP_EXPORTER_INSECURE\n        value: \"true\"\n      -
      name: K6_OTEL_EXPORTER_TYPE\n        value: http\n      - name:
      K6_OTEL_HTTP_EXPORTER_URL_PATH\n        value: /v1/metrics\n      - name:
      K6_LOG_OUTPUT\n        value: stdout\n      - name: k6_LOG_FORMAT\n       
      value: json\n      - name: K6_TRACES_OUTPUT\n        value:
      otel=http://node-collector.opentelemetry-operator-system.svc.cluster.local:4318,proto=http\n   
      volumeMounts:\n      - mountPath: /tmp\n        name: tmp\n   
      volumes:\n      - name: tmp\n        emptyDir:\n          sizeLimit:
      500Mi\n    securityContext:\n      runAsNonRoot: true\n      runAsUser:
      12345\n      runAsGroup: 12345\n      fsGroup: 12345\n   
      containerSecurityContext:\n      allowPrivilegeEscalation: false\n     
      capabilities:\n        drop:\n          - ALL\n     
      readOnlyRootFilesystem: true\n      seccompProfile:\n        type:
      RuntimeDefault\n  starter:\n    securityContext:\n      runAsNonRoot:
      true\n      runAsUser: 65532\n      runAsGroup: 65532\n      fsGroup:
      65532\n    containerSecurityContext:\n      allowPrivilegeEscalation:
      false\n      capabilities:\n        drop:\n          - ALL\n     
      readOnlyRootFilesystem: true\n      seccompProfile:\n        type:
      RuntimeDefault\n  script:\n    configMap:\n      name:
      k6-otel-samples\n      file: otel-samples.js\n  arguments: --vus 5
      --duration 60s -o
      experimental-opentelemetry\n","setOwnerReference":true,"successCondition":"status.stage
      == finished"}}]}}
  creationTimestamp: '2026-05-04T18:40:17Z'
  generation: 1
  labels:
    app.kubernetes.io/component: k6-loadtest
    app.kubernetes.io/name: otel-sample
  managedFields:
    - apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1
      fieldsType: FieldsV1
      fieldsV1:
        f:metadata:
          f:annotations:
            .: {}
            f:argocd.argoproj.io/sync-wave: {}
            f:argocd.argoproj.io/tracking-id: {}
            f:kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration: {}
          f:labels:
            .: {}
            f:app.kubernetes.io/component: {}
            f:app.kubernetes.io/name: {}
        f:spec: {}
      manager: argocd-controller
      operation: Update
      time: '2026-05-04T18:40:17Z'
  name: k6-otel-samples
  namespace: otel-sample
  resourceVersion: '1355972761'
  uid: 1cca67a0-c231-4ad4-874c-03865b8913b9
spec:
  activeDeadlineSeconds: 600
  entrypoint: k6-otel-samples
  podSpecPatch: |
    {
      "initContainers":[
        {
          "name":"init",
          "volumeMounts":[
            {
              "name":"init-temp-dir",
              "mountPath":"/tmp"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "volumes":[
        {
          "name":"init-temp-dir",
          "emptyDir":{
            "sizeLimit":"50Mi"
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  securityContext:
    fsGroup: 65532
    runAsGroup: 65532
    runAsUser: 65532
  serviceAccountName: argo-workflow-k6
  templates:
    - name: k6-otel-samples
      resource:
        action: create
        failureCondition: status.stage == error
        manifest: |
          apiVersion: k6.io/v1alpha1
          kind: TestRun
          metadata:
            generateName: k6-otel-samples-
            namespace: otel-sample
          spec:
            parallelism: 2
            quiet: "false"
            separate: true
            cleanup: "post" # removed
            runner:
              env:
                - name: OTEL_SAMPLE_NAMESPACE
                  value: "otel-sample"
                - name: OTEL_SAMPLE_HTTP_PORT
                  value: "8080"
                - name: K6_OTEL_METRIC_PREFIX
                  value: k6_otel_sample_
                - name: K6_OTEL_HTTP_EXPORTER_ENDPOINT
                  value: node-collector.opentelemetry-operator-system.svc.cluster.local:4318
                - name: K6_OTEL_HTTP_EXPORTER_INSECURE
                  value: "true"
                - name: K6_OTEL_EXPORTER_TYPE
                  value: http
                - name: K6_OTEL_HTTP_EXPORTER_URL_PATH
                  value: /v1/metrics
                - name: K6_LOG_OUTPUT
                  value: stdout
                - name: k6_LOG_FORMAT
                  value: json
                - name: K6_TRACES_OUTPUT
                  value: otel=http://node-collector.opentelemetry-operator-system.svc.cluster.local:4318,proto=http
              volumeMounts:
                - mountPath: /tmp
                  name: tmp
              volumes:
                - name: tmp
                  emptyDir:
                    sizeLimit: 500Mi
              securityContext:
                runAsNonRoot: true
                runAsUser: 12345
                runAsGroup: 12345
                fsGroup: 12345
              containerSecurityContext:
                allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
                capabilities:
                  drop:
                    - ALL
                readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
                seccompProfile:
                  type: RuntimeDefault
            starter:
              securityContext:
                runAsNonRoot: true
                runAsUser: 65532
                runAsGroup: 65532
                fsGroup: 65532
              containerSecurityContext:
                allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
                capabilities:
                  drop:
                    - ALL
                readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
                seccompProfile:
                  type: RuntimeDefault
            script:
              configMap:
                name: k6-otel-samples
                file: otel-samples.js
            arguments: --vus 5 --duration 60s -o experimental-opentelemetry
        setOwnerReference: true
        successCondition: status.stage == finished

[llavaud]

Hello,
If you are using ServerSide Diff feature, you may hit this issue, did you deploy the lite or full version of Argo Workflow CRDs ?

[EStork09]

I updated the helm chart and made sure full was being used. I believe that this resolved it, thank you so much for this call out!