On the State of DevOps Report
The State of DevOps Report, published annually by the DevOps Research and Assessment (DORA) team, has been a cornerstone in the field of software development for over a decade. The 2024 version of the report was published this past October. The 2024 version as well as the past reports can be found here. Since its inception, the report has gathered insights from more than 39,000 professionals across various industries and organizational sizes. This extensive sample size ensures a comprehensive understanding of the DevOps landscape. The report is highly regarded for its in-depth analysis of the practices and capabilities that drive high performance in software delivery and operational efficiency. It serves as a benchmark for organizations aiming to improve their DevOps practices, providing valuable data on key performance indicators such as deployment frequency, lead time for changes, change failure rate, and mean time to recovery 6.
The primary goals of the State of DevOps Report are to:
- Identify Best Practices: Highlight the practices that distinguish high-performing teams.
- Provide Benchmarks: Offer metrics that organizations can use to measure their performance.
- Drive Improvement: Encourage continuous improvement in software delivery and operational practices.
- Highlight Trends: Explore emerging trends and challenges in the DevOps field, such as the impact of AI and the role of platform engineering.
In essence, the report aims to equip organizations with the knowledge and tools needed to enhance their DevOps capabilities and achieve better business outcomes.
On Internal Development Platforms
The 2024 State of DevOps Report highlights the growing significance of internal development platforms. These platforms are not just a trend but a cornerstone for enhancing efficiency, speed, and security in development. One of the key insights from the report is that "Teams do not need to sacrifice speed for stability" 2. Having an internal development platform helps with that.
One of the key takeaways from the report is how internal development platforms empower developers by providing self-service tooling environments. This flexibility allows developers to work more efficiently and achieve their goals without unnecessary delays. As the report states, "Self-service tooling environments give developers the flexibility they need to work quickly and achieve their goals" 1. This empowerment is crucial for fostering innovation and maintaining a competitive edge.
The report also emphasizes the role of internal development platforms in streamlining key processes through standardized automation. By eliminating repetitive tasks, these platforms accelerate delivery and improve overall productivity. "The full potential of DevOps is unlocked with standardized automation" 1 the report notes. This streamlined approach not only saves time but also reduces the likelihood of errors, leading to more reliable and consistent outcomes.
Security is another critical aspect highlighted in the report. With secure tools built into the platform, internal development platforms ensure that security is integrated into the development process from the ground up. This proactive approach to security benefits everyone involved. "Security has never just been IT's job. With secure tools built into most platforms, Platform Engineering is empowering teams to build securely from the start" 1. This integration helps in mitigating risks and protecting sensitive data.
Ultimately, the report underscores that the adoption of internal development platforms is a strategic move that supports organizational success. By fostering a culture of efficiency, speed, and security, these platforms help organizations achieve their goals more effectively. The report concludes, "The rise of developers is supported by the platform engineering team" 1. This support is vital for driving innovation and achieving long-term success in the competitive tech landscape.
The 2024 State of DevOps Report makes it clear that self-service internal development platforms are not just beneficial but essential for software development to allow teams to move quickly and independently.
On Paved Roads and Golden Paths
In the realm of software development, the concepts of "paved roads" and "golden paths" have become integral to the success of internal development platforms. These terms, often used interchangeably, refer to the pre-defined, optimized workflows and best practices that streamline, and expedite, development processes, making life easier for developers and enhancing overall productivity.
At their core, paved roads and golden paths are about providing developers with a clear, supported route to follow. As Raffaele Spazzoli from Red Hat explains, "Golden Paths are a fundamental ingredient of well-architected Internal Developer Platforms" 3. These paths offer pre-architected and supported approaches to building, testing, and deploying software, ensuring that developers can focus on coding rather than the intricacies of the underlying hosting infrastructure and CI/CD processes.
One of the primary benefits of these paths is the reduction in cognitive load for developers. Kaspar von Grünberg, CEO of Humanitec, describes golden paths as procedures "in the software development life cycle that a user can follow with minimal cognitive load and that drives standardization" 4. By minimizing the mental effort required to navigate complex systems, developers can work more efficiently and effectively. These paths allow developers to spend less time dealing with CI/CD, infrastructure, and other development processes and more time on creative problem-solving, their productivity and morale are likely to improve. The 2024 State of DevOps Report notes that "self-service tooling environments and standardized automation streamline processes, making it easier for developers to achieve their goals without unnecessary delays" 2. This reduction in friction and the ability to work more efficiently contribute to a healthier work environment, ultimately helping to prevent burnout and improve overall job satisfaction.
Golden paths are not just about making things easier; they are about making things better. They provide a route toward alignment and standardization without forcing developers into a rigid framework. As noted in a blog post by Octopus, "Instead of forcing developers to do things a certain way, you design the internal developer platform to attract developers by reducing their burden and removing pain points" 5. This approach fosters a more productive and innovative environment.
The focus on long-term benefits is another critical aspect of golden paths. According to Spazzoli, "The more sophisticated Golden Paths are, the more they will be adopted, providing, as a result, more uniformity of configuration and behavior across the application portfolio" 3. This uniformity not only improves the quality of the software but also makes it easier to maintain and scale.
Paved roads and golden paths are essential components of internal development platforms. They reduce cognitive load, enhance productivity, and provide long-term benefits by fostering standardization and alignment. As the software development landscape continues to evolve, these concepts will remain crucial for organizations looking to streamline their processes and support their development teams effectively.
Conclusion
The 2024 State of DevOps Report underscores the transformative impact of internal development platforms and the strategic importance of paved roads and golden paths. By providing standardized, self-service tooling environments, these platforms empower developers to work more efficiently and securely, fostering innovation and maintaining a competitive edge. The report highlights that "Teams do not need to sacrifice speed for stability," emphasizing that streamlined automation and integrated security are key to achieving high performance in software delivery.
Paved roads and golden paths reduce cognitive load, enhance productivity, and ensure consistency across development processes. They offer a clear, supported route for developers, allowing them to focus on creative problem-solving rather than the complexities of CI/CD pipelines. This approach not only improves job satisfaction and prevents burnout but also drives long-term success by fostering standardization and alignment.
In essence, the State of DevOps Report provides invaluable insights and benchmarks that help organizations enhance their DevOps capabilities. By adopting internal development platforms and leveraging paved roads and golden paths, organizations can achieve better business outcomes, support their development teams effectively, and stay ahead in the competitive tech landscape. As the software development field continues to evolve, these concepts will remain crucial for driving innovation and operational excellence.
References
- 2024 State of DevOps Report: The Evolution of Platform Engineering
- 2024 State of DevOps Report
- Red Hat Blog - Designing Golden Paths
- Platform Engineering Blog - How to pave golden paths that actually go somewhere
- Octopus Blog - Paved versus golden paths in Platform Engineering
- Middleware Blog - Only Hard Questions: Exploring the 2024 State of DevOps Report with Lead Investigator Derek DeBellis
- Only Hard Questions: Exploring the 2024 State of DevOps Report with Lead Investigator Derek DeBellis
