The Misunderstanding of Platform Engineering

🤔Platform engineering is not clearly defined and is often seen as a way to hide complexity through tools and technology.

😬Promoting platform engineering as a solution for complex systems can lead to the misconception that it's somebody else's job to handle the complexities.

🚀Good system design involves creating abstractions and making choices based on the problem at hand. Platform teams can help in structuring organizations to avoid common mistakes.

🛠️Platform services should be designed as self-service to empower stream-aligned teams and reduce cognitive load.

🧩Platform engineering is not a replacement for continuous delivery and devops, but rather a complementary approach that requires careful consideration and tailored solutions.

What is platform engineering?

—Platform engineering is the practice of creating abstractions and providing platform services to simplify complex systems and reduce cognitive load for development teams.

Does platform engineering eliminate the need for continuous delivery and devops?

—No, platform engineering is not a replacement for continuous delivery and devops. It is a complementary approach that focuses on creating self-service platform services and reducing complexity for development teams.

Who is responsible for platform engineering?

—Platform engineering is a collaborative effort between platform teams and stream-aligned teams. Platform teams provide the necessary expertise and support, while stream-aligned teams make use of the platform services to build their systems.

How can platform engineering help in system design?

—Platform engineering helps in structuring organizations and creating abstractions to hide complex technical details. It enables stream-aligned teams to focus on problem-solving rather than low-level technical implementation.

What are some challenges in platform engineering?

—Platform engineering requires careful consideration and tailored solutions based on the specific problem at hand. It is challenging to strike the right balance between providing abstraction and flexibility while still addressing the unique needs of different systems.

00:00Platform engineering is being poorly communicated and misunderstood, leading to misguided expectations.

01:28The definition of platform engineering is not clear, with some focusing on tools and technology instead of design principles.

06:16Platform teams should aim at reducing cognitive load for stream-aligned teams by providing self-service platform services.

09:59Platform engineering is not a replacement for continuous delivery and devops, but rather a complementary approach that requires careful consideration and tailored solutions.