Platform engineering improves developer productivity. After building IDPs, here’s how to create effective platforms.

What is Platform Engineering?

Platform engineering:

  • Self-service - Developers provision resources
  • Golden paths - Standardized workflows
  • Abstraction - Hide complexity
  • Productivity - Faster development

Platform Components

Developer Portal

// Self-service portal
class DeveloperPortal {
    async createEnvironment(name, type) {
        // Provision infrastructure
        const env = await this.provisionEnvironment(name, type);
        
        // Configure CI/CD
        await this.setupCICD(env);
        
        // Grant access
        await this.grantAccess(env, this.currentUser);
        
        return env;
    }
}

Golden Paths

# Standard application template
apiVersion: v1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: my-app
spec:
  runtime: nodejs-18
  database: postgresql
  cache: redis
  monitoring: enabled

Best Practices

  1. Start simple - Basic self-service
  2. Golden paths - Standard workflows
  3. Documentation - Clear guides
  4. Feedback loop - Developer input
  5. Iterate - Continuous improvement
  6. Monitor usage - Track adoption
  7. Support - Help developers
  8. Evolve - Add features

Conclusion

Platform engineering enables:

  • Self-service infrastructure
  • Faster development
  • Standardization
  • Better productivity

Start with basics, then expand. The platforms shown here improve developer experience significantly.

Platform engineering from June 2023, covering IDP and developer portals.