Internal Developer Platform is a trendy concept in the Platform Engineering world that solves clear problems you might have already faced. In this article, I will define what's an Internal Developer Platform, and I assume you're at least familiar with concepts like DevOps and Platform Engineering, but don't worry - I won't assume too much. The goal is to ensure we're all on the same page when discussing Internal Developer Platforms. So let's go :)

This is the first post in a 3-part series about shifting Observability left. When it comes to the reliability and performance of your applications, compromise is not an option in the world of software development. This is where observability can help developers achieve a more robust and scalable infrastructure.

For almost a decade, GitKraken has been building developer-first Git productivity tools and services, with one clear goal: to make devs and their teams more effective and efficient. Our journey began with desktop-centric and IDE-based tools like GitKraken Client and GitLens for VS Code, which have both become integral to the workflow for tens of millions of developers. Our tools and capabilities are robust.

A long time ago I worked on a project called Django Debug Toolbar (DJDT). It was a local development plugin that would give you a debug overlay within Django’s development environment, helping you diagnose things like the SQL queries being made, environment configuration, and what templates were rendered. In general, it made the local dev experience much better, helping you prevent or more easily fix things like N+1 queries.

As a CTO, you need to come up with new strategies and tools to ensure that your company manages the rapidly changing world of software development. Platform Engineering and Internal Developer Platforms (IDPs) have become essential elements of this journey that change how software is developed and released.

Software developers need efficient tools that facilitate collaborative development without taking you out of the zone. The CLI, or command line interface, is a developer favorite for its ease of use, quick access, and versatility. GitKraken’s CLI is specifically tailored for Git operations, enhancing the traditional command line experience with its user-friendly commands and integrations, making Git tasks simpler and more efficient.

Software development begins with code, which is then integrated, compiled, tested, and in the end distributed to users. This is often the secret sauce of innovation that organizations must protect to keep their competitive edge. With the software application development market growing at almost 30% per year and the average project taking just 4-6 months to complete – and trending downwards – the result is more software to develop and constant pressure to release it as fast as possible.