How to use git-sync image as a sidecar in kubernetes that git pulls periodically - kubernetes

Question

I am trying to use git-sync image as a side car in kubernetes that runs git-pull periodically and mounts cloned data to shared volume.
Everything is working fine when I configure it for sync one time. I want to run it periodically like every 10 mins. Somehow when I configure it to run periodically pod initializing is failing.
I read documentation but couldn't find proper answer. Would be nice if you help me to figure out what I am missing in my configuration.
Here is my configuration that failing.
Deployment
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
name: nginx-deployment
labels:
app: nginx
spec:
selector:
matchLabels:
app: nginx
template:
metadata:
labels:
app: nginx
spec:
containers:
- name: nginx-helloworld
image: nginx
ports:
- containerPort: 80
volumeMounts:
- mountPath: "/usr/share/nginx/html"
name: www-data
initContainers:
- name: git-sync
image: k8s.gcr.io/git-sync:v3.1.3
volumeMounts:
- name: www-data
mountPath: /data
env:
- name: GIT_SYNC_REPO
value: "https://github.com/musaalp/design-patterns.git" ##repo-path-you-want-to-clone
- name: GIT_SYNC_BRANCH
value: "master" ##repo-branch
- name: GIT_SYNC_ROOT
value: /data
- name: GIT_SYNC_DEST
value: "hello" ##path-where-you-want-to-clone
- name: GIT_SYNC_PERIOD
value: "10"
- name: GIT_SYNC_ONE_TIME
value: "false"
securityContext:
runAsUser: 0
volumes:
- name: www-data
emptyDir: {}
Pod
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
creationTimestamp: null
labels:
run: nginx-helloworld
name: nginx-helloworld
spec:
containers:
- image: nginx
name: nginx-helloworld
resources: {}
dnsPolicy: ClusterFirst
restartPolicy: Never
status: {}

Answer 1

you are using the git-sync as an initContainers, which run only during init (once in lifecycle)
A Pod can have multiple containers running apps within it, but it can also have one or more init containers, which are run before the app containers are started.
Init containers are exactly like regular containers, except:
Init containers always run to completion.
Each init container must complete successfully before the next one starts.
init-containers
So use this as a regular container
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
name: nginx-deployment
labels:
app: nginx
spec:
selector:
matchLabels:
app: nginx
template:
metadata:
labels:
app: nginx
spec:
containers:
- name: git-sync
image: k8s.gcr.io/git-sync:v3.1.3
volumeMounts:
- name: www-data
mountPath: /data
env:
- name: GIT_SYNC_REPO
value: "https://github.com/musaalp/design-patterns.git" ##repo-path-you-want-to-clone
- name: GIT_SYNC_BRANCH
value: "master" ##repo-branch
- name: GIT_SYNC_ROOT
value: /data
- name: GIT_SYNC_DEST
value: "hello" ##path-where-you-want-to-clone
- name: GIT_SYNC_PERIOD
value: "20"
- name: GIT_SYNC_ONE_TIME
value: "false"
securityContext:
runAsUser: 0
- name: nginx-helloworld
image: nginx
ports:
- containerPort: 80
volumeMounts:
- mountPath: "/usr/share/nginx/html"
name: www-data
volumes:
- name: www-data
emptyDir: {}