Platform engineering is a new technology technique that can speed up application delivery and the rate at which they generate revenue and enhance developer productivity and experience by offering automated infrastructure operations together with self-service features. Developer experience and hastening the delivery of value to customers by product teams give it popularity by offering automated infrastructure operations together with self-service features. In reaction to the growing complexity of contemporary software architectures, platform engineering was developed. These days, it’s common to ask non-expert end users to manage a complex collection of obscure services.
Additionally, by creating common resources and organizational best practices, platform engineering fosters cooperation amongst cross-functional teams. This results in improved coordination between the various software delivery departments, including operations and development, and shortens the time it takes to launch new features or goods.
What’s Driving the Popularity of Platform Engineering?
Platform engineering enhances developer productivity and experience by offering automated infrastructure operations and providing self-service features. The engineering platform, which is made to support the demands of software developers and others by offering common, reusable tools and capabilities and integrating with complicated infrastructure, is developed and maintained by a specialized product team.
Platform Engineering: The New and Exciting
Some people consider platform engineering to be the newest thing in town but scientists have been working for years to develop the best shape of engineering that can be helpful for people. Nonetheless, creating digital platforms to distribute software at scale is nothing new as large software businesses have been using a platform strategy for decades to help developer teams build, ship, and run applications more rapidly and at a higher quality, according to Puppet’s 2023 State of DevOps Report. A dedicated product team develops and maintains the engineering platform, which provides common, reusable tools and capabilities and integrates with complex infrastructure to support the needs of software developers and others.
Platform Engineering Is the Next Evolution of DevOps
It is a fact that platform engineering is the next development in DevOps and SRE as this is not delivering a fatal blow to DevOps, especially helpful to developers who are waiting on internal approvals or fulfillment. They are experiencing constraints in their code production but it can be managed through effective management and removing constraints to eliminate the issue. Moreover, it facilitates developers to deliver on their schedule as opposed to the IT team’s and supports operator types such as SREs and DevOps engineers. They suffer from operational firefighting, preventing them from developing their long-term vision and struggling with repetitive request fulfillment.
Also Read: An Ultimate Guide to Become an AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional
What Types of Organizations Stand to Benefit Most from Platform Engineering?
Platform engineering can help businesses manage tool sprawl, establish governance, bolster security, and more while reducing developer overload and development bottlenecks. Take DevOps to the next level and offer a company several advantages.
Minimize Tool Sprawl
An integrated development platform (IDP) offers developers a standardized collection of tools and services, as it saves them the trouble of looking for them. Developers no longer have to waste time figuring out that part of the development process, since templates and pipelines are created for them to execute their work, this reduces the possibility of errors. Additionally, it helps new developers who might not know a company’s tools and workflows to get started, growing your business at cheap rates.
Boost Productivity
IDPs help enterprises release software more quickly and do this by automating infrastructure provisioning server and service configuration. They also automate application deployment, monitoring, alerting, and load balancing. Developers are better positioned for success when there is greater automation and a golden path in place, saving time on repetitive, manual work and as a result, quicker development cycles and increased operational efficiency.
Boost Scalability
Platform engineering can help a company manage increasing workloads and traffic by allowing it to scale its services and applications. They use technologies like load balancing, auto-scaling rules, and containerization and orchestration as these technologies automate the deployment and management of containerized applications, distributing heavy network traffic.
Increased Security
Platform engineering incorporates automated security scanning technologies in the CI/CD pipeline and this is for continuous integration and delivery. It finds vulnerabilities early in the software development life cycle (SDLC) and helps to avoid bugs and faults later on. Automated compliance checks are also included and they confirm that apps and infrastructure adhere to corporate security guidelines and industry requirements.
Accelerated Cloud Adoption
The migration to cloud computing has been a defining trend in recent years. We expect an accelerated adoption of cloud technologies in 2024. Platform engineering aligns with cloud-native architectures and allows businesses to leverage the scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency of cloud platforms. As organizations transition their operations to the cloud, platform engineering becomes instrumental. It’s for architecting and managing cloud computing architecuture.
What are Platform Engineering’s Drawbacks?
Now let’s examine the difficulties in platform engineering.
Enhanced Intricacy
Implementing platform engineering can complicate your infrastructure, making it difficult for small teams to manage.
Relying Too Much on the Platform
It could be challenging to move to a new technology or supplier due to the platform’s high level of dependency.
Problems with Compatibility
Not every tool and technology used by the development team may work with the platform. It slows down the operation and creates friction.
The Role of DevOps in Streamlining Operations
DevOps practices have become integral to the software development lifecycle and emphasize collaboration and automation between development and operations teams. Platform engineering complements DevOps and provides the necessary tools and methodologies for continuous integration, deployment, and delivery. Organizations are trying to streamline operations and enhance development workflows and experts expect the convergence of platform engineering and DevOps to define the tech landscape in 2024.
Shift Toward Low-Code and No-Code Development
The democratization of software development is a growing trend, happening through low-code and no-code platforms. Platform engineering is crucial as it helps integrate low-code and no-code solutions into broader ecosystems. In 2024, businesses will seek to empower non-technical users to take part in application development. The role of platform engineering will become crucial and provide the necessary infrastructure and governance.
Also Read: Top 10 DevOps Certifications of 2024
Conclusion
The platform engineer position is not replacing DevOps; instead, it is building upon its success and leveraging the opportunities and challenges of the new computing era. Looking ahead to 2024, cloud platform engineering is set to intersect with technological advancements, industry trends, and evolving business needs.
With the rise of digital transformation, cloud adoption, microservices architecture, DevOps practices, and emerging technologies, platform engineering has become a crucial component of modern software development. Businesses that recognize the transformative potential of platform engineering are poised to gain a competitive edge by harnessing its capabilities to navigate the complexities of the digital era.
The demand for scalable, secure, and agile solutions continues to grow. As a result, platform engineering is expected to gain significant momentum in 2024. It will emerge as a cornerstone of innovation and progress within the ever-evolving tech ecosystem.
Are you ready to embrace the power of platform engineering? Stay ahead of the curve by incorporating this cutting-edge approach into your organization’s software development strategies.
FAQs
How does Platform Engineering Contribute to Business Agility in 2024?
In 2024, business agility will be a top priority, and platform engineering will play a pivotal role in achieving it. With the rapid pace of technological change, businesses need adaptable and scalable infrastructures to stay competitive. Platform engineering facilitates the development of agile platforms that can easily incorporate new features, scale resources on demand, and integrate emerging technologies. This adaptability empowers businesses to respond quickly to market shifts, customer demands, and industry trends, fostering a more resilient and dynamic operational environment.
What Trends are Driving the Momentum of Platform Engineering in 2024?
Several trends are propelling the momentum of platform engineering in 2024. The rise of edge computing, increased adoption of artificial intelligence and machine learning, and the growing importance of data analytics are among the key drivers. As organizations seek to leverage these technologies to gain a competitive edge, platform engineering becomes essential for creating cohesive and efficient ecosystems. Additionally, the emphasis on cybersecurity and compliance further underscores the need for robust platform engineering practices to ensure the integrity and security of digital platforms in an ever-evolving threat landscape.
What Challenges Might Organizations Face in Implementing Platform Engineering in 2024?
While platform engineering holds great promise, organizations may encounter several challenges in its implementation in 2024. One common challenge is the complexity of legacy systems and infrastructure, which may require significant refactoring or modernization to align with platform-based architectures. Additionally, organizations must navigate security and compliance considerations when adopting new platforms, especially in highly regulated industries.
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