# Airflow on EKS Deep Dive

> **Review baseline**: Airflow 3.3.1 · official Helm chart 1.22.0
> **Latest upstream patch checked**: Airflow 3.3.2 (September 17, 2026); examples remain on 3.3.1 · October 12, 2026

Apache Airflow defines workflow dependencies as DAGs and schedules, runs and
observes their tasks. On EKS, per-task pod behavior depends on the **executor and
operator**, not merely on installing a Helm chart.

Airflow 2 reached EOL on April 22, 2026. Use a maintained 3.x release for new
deployments. Chart 1.22.0 defaults to **Airflow 3.2.2**, so verify chart, image and
Airflow configuration versions separately. This series reviews 3.3.1 behavior and
renders the chart with that version override.

Upstream 3.3.2 was released on September 17, 2026. An explicit Bearer token takes
precedence over a session cookie, and an invalid Bearer token rejects the request
even when a valid cookie is also present. This can affect API clients that mix
browser cookies with service credentials.

This series' examples and Helm checks remain on 3.3.1 and have not been
revalidated on 3.3.2.

## Core architecture

- The scheduler and executor decide and submit task work and update metadata state.
- The required DAG processor parses/serializes DAG bundles. Workers also need task
  code through the relevant bundle or code-distribution path.
- The API server provides UI, REST API and Task Execution API paths. A supervised
  Python Task SDK runtime uses that API for state and Connection/Variable/XCom access.
- The triggerer runs **triggers** while deferrable tasks wait. It is optional in a
  minimal deployment that does not use deferral.
- Metadata backends include PostgreSQL and MySQL. This series uses PostgreSQL as
  an example, not the only choice. Redis is also not the only Celery broker option.

![Airflow control components, metadata, task execution API and alternative executor paths.](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Atom-oh/kubernetes-docs/main/en/.gitbook/assets/en-data-on-eks-airflow-readme-0.png)

[Interactive diagram](https://www.atomai.click/kubernetes-docs/archmaps/en-data-on-eks-airflow-readme-0.html)

DAG bundles do not universally replace git-sync. The official chart still supports
git-sync; distinguish delivery from bundle versioning. Parser separation also does
not eliminate all latency, database bottlenecks or HA concerns.

## Series

1. [Airflow architecture on Kubernetes](https://www.atomai.click/kubernetes-docs/llms/en/data-on-eks/airflow/01-architecture.md): components, Execution API, databases/brokers and executors.
2. [Helm deployment and executor choice](https://www.atomai.click/kubernetes-docs/llms/en/data-on-eks/airflow/02-helm-deployment.md): official chart, versions, connections and worker scaling.
3. [DAG patterns and KubernetesPodOperator](https://www.atomai.click/kubernetes-docs/llms/en/data-on-eks/airflow/03-dag-patterns.md): pods, code delivery, bundles and Spark/dbt.
4. [Amazon MWAA integration](https://www.atomai.click/kubernetes-docs/llms/en/data-on-eks/airflow/04-mwaa-integration.md): managed scope, EKS integration, versions and cost.
5. [Operations and security](https://www.atomai.click/kubernetes-docs/llms/en/data-on-eks/airflow/05-operations.md): HA, migrations, secrets, logs, observation and recovery checks.


- [Airflow 3.3.1 architecture](https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow/3.3.1/core-concepts/overview.html)
- [Airflow 3.3.2 release notes](https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow/3.3.2/release_notes.html)
- [Supported versions and lifecycle](https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow/3.3.1/installation/supported-versions.html)
- [Airflow prerequisites](https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow/3.3.1/installation/prerequisites.html)
- [Executor configuration and history](https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow/3.3.1/core-concepts/executor/index.html)
- [DAG bundles](https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow/3.3.1/administration-and-deployment/dag-bundles.html)
- [Deferrable operators and triggers](https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow/3.3.1/authoring-and-scheduling/deferring.html)

[Quiz](https://www.atomai.click/kubernetes-docs/en/quizzes/data-on-eks/airflow/01-architecture-quiz)