The relationship between platform engineering and developer portals often mirrors a complex dance of love and hate, where harmony and discord intertwine. As we dive into this intricate relationship, we must navigate the fine line between the structured order of platform engineering and the creative freedom of developer portals. Picture a therapy session where both entities, embodying the essence of control and autonomy, sit down to untangle their intertwined destinies, seeking to understand and appreciate the unique value each brings to the development ecosystem.
In this therapy session, we meet Kubernetes and its new partner Backstage, and observe the nuanced dynamics of their relationship, highlighting the tensions that arise from their conflicting goals — platform engineering's drive for standardization, security, and scalability versus developer portals' quest for accessibility, autonomy, and innovation. Like any couple in therapy, k8s and backstage will learn to communicate effectively, recognizing their mutual dependencies and the strength that lies in their unity.
By the end of this session, attendees have witnessed a newmade couple, that can coexist and thrive together, paving the way for a future where efficiency and innovation go hand in hand. And they live happily ever after.