Platform engineering is transforming how organizations support their developers. Here's how to build platforms that people actually want to use.
Why Platform Engineering?
Developer productivity directly impacts business velocity. Platform engineering removes friction and lets developers focus on building features.
Core Components
A modern internal developer platform typically includes: - Service catalogs and templates - Self-service infrastructure provisioning - CI/CD pipelines - Observability and monitoring - Documentation and learning resources
Building the Right Team
Platform teams need a mix of infrastructure expertise, software engineering skills, and user experience sensibility.
Measuring Success
Track developer satisfaction, time to deploy, and self-service adoption rates. If developers aren't using the platform, something needs to change.
Common Antipatterns
Avoid building a platform in isolation. Engage with your users early and often, and be willing to iterate based on feedback.
The Product Mindset
Treat your platform as a product. Understand your users, prioritize features based on impact, and continuously improve.