The Software Architects' Newsletter September 2024

[InfoQ Live Logo] The Software Architects' Newsletter September 2024 [View in browser]( Welcome to the InfoQ Software Architects’ Newsletter! We bring you essential news and experience on emerging patterns and technologies from industry peers each month. This month, we focus on "Platform Engineering: Exploring the overlap between software architecture and platform building". Roles, patterns, and practices from this topic span the entire "diffusion of innovation" graphs in our April 2024 reports: [InfoQ Software Architecture and Design Trends Report]( and [InfoQ Culture & Methods Trends Report](. For example, implementing cell-based architecture (CBA) requires a supporting platform. Designing a socio-technical architecture for software applications is much the same as for platforms. Cultivating a value mindset and focusing on business agility is vital for platform building. Key challenges remain, including how much platform to build upfront (the “minimum viable platform" versus the "thinnest viable platform"), how to lead platform engineering and developer experience teams, and how to avoid getting caught in a technology-focused build trap. News Enabling Fast Flow in Software Organizations Resolving impediments to flow and [removing unnecessary sources]( of cognitive load can make culture issues disappear in organizations, [Nigel Kersten]( argued at [FlowCon France 2024](. He suggested starting with a clear strategy that is easy to communicate and then following the path to creating stream-aligned teams and platform teams. Kubernetes v1.31 Released: Enhanced Security, Stability, and AI/ML Support The Kubernetes project has recently announced the release of [version 1.31](, codenamed "Elli". This version incorporates 45 enhancements, with 11 features reaching Stable status, 22 moving to Beta, and 12 new Alpha features introduced. Key features in this release include enhanced container security with AppArmor, improved reliability for load balancers, insights into PersistentVolume phase transitions, and support for OCI image volumes. Building SaaS from Scratch Using Cloud-Native Patterns: a Deep Dive Into a Cloud Startup In this QCon London talk recording, [Joni Collinge]( presents the [design and implementation of the Diagrid Cloud platform](, covering design considerations, trade-offs, and learnings using Kubernetes, Dapr, and Cloud-Native services. Mastering Impact Analysis and Optimizing Change Release Processes In this recent InfoQ article, [Tejas Ghadge]( argues that when [analyzing outages](, it’s crucial to focus on "why" rather than "who", emphasizing process improvement over blaming individuals and assuming that humans will make mistakes, even with good intentions. He recommends operating with the assumption that a bug will still reach the production environment and exploring how to minimize the blast radius when that happens. Efficient DevSecOps Workflows with a Little Help from AI [Michael Friedrich]( explores how [AI enhances DevSecOps workflows]( by streamlining tasks, improving security, and optimizing operations. He suggests utilizing AI for generating code suggestions, automated tests, and insightful chat prompts to enhance productivity. To ensure responsible and secure AI usage, engineers should also implement required guardrails, including data privacy controls, access management, and prompt validation. Sponsored [The Principles of Reactive Microservices - Sponsored by Lightbend]( [The Principles of Reactive Microservices]( Microservices offer many benefits, but scaling them can be challenging. A uniform approach is key to any enterprise’s cloud migration strategy. Reactive microservices, built on core principles, enable teams to deliver scalable, self-healing systems with effective persistence strategies, handling unexpected issues gracefully in the cloud. They help deliver digital services at reduced cost, risk, and complexity. This eBook delves into the key principles and technology behind Reactive microservices, along with success stories from Fortune 100 companies. Download the eBook “[The Principles of Reactive Microservices](”, sponsored by Lightbend Case Study Curating Developer Experience: Practical Insights from Building a Platform Team As a platform engineer, how do you help your customers go quicker? Which aspects of developer experience should you care about? More importantly, how do you curate an experience for them? A recent InfoQ article from [Andy Burgin]( focuses on how to [curate a developer’s experience](. It describes his experience, what his company learned from implementing DevEx, and what you, as a platform engineer, can do to create a developer experience for the development teams that use your platforms. He explains all the practical things his team did, what worked (and what didn’t), how success was measured, and how the team’s focus has evolved over the years. Key takeaways include: - Developer experience (DevEx) goes beyond productivity, encompassing aspects like ease of use, collaboration, and empathy. It addresses a sociotechnical problem by creating relationships and engagement. - Creating a positive DevEx involves understanding developer needs and challenges, fostering collaboration, and continuously using feedback loops to improve platform usability. - It’s often a people problem, not a tooling problem. Tooling needs to help engineers "shift left" and genuinely empower users rather than being a burden or unused shelfware. - Practical steps like running annual surveys, creating usability metrics, and fostering continuous engagement with users can help the team track progress and identify areas for improvement over time. - As development teams mature, they can ideally integrate the DevEx function into day-to-day operations. Effective DevEx efforts can lead to self-sufficient teams with reduced reliance on platform engineers. This content is an excerpt from a recent InfoQ article by Andy Burgin, "[Curating Developer Experience: Practical Insights from Building a Platform Team](". To get notifications when InfoQ publishes content on these topics, follow "[Platform Engineering](", "[DevOps](", and "[Team Collaboration](" on InfoQ. Missed a newsletter? You can find all of the [previous issues]( on InfoQ. Sponsored [Cloud Native Data Security with OAuth (By O’Reilly) - Sponsored by Curity]( [Cloud Native Data Security with OAuth (By O’Reilly)]( As cloud-native apps grow, APIs are crucial but often lack strong security, making them prime targets for bad actors. OAuth helps but lacks guidelines for API tokens, leading to vulnerabilities. Using cloud-native components in Kubernetes, organizations can implement a zero-trust, scalable security architecture. This book delves into OAuth’s architectural benefits and its role in building zero trust security frameworks. Discover how to realize the full benefits of OAuth, secure API access in cloud-native environments, and update your zero-trust security architecture. Download the early release chapters from “[Cloud Native Data Security with OAuth](”, sponsored by Curity Upcoming Events InfoQ and QCon: For practitioners, by practitioners [QCon San Francisco 2024, Nov 18-22]( Training topics announced. Upskill on the issues that matter most in software development with domain experts in our practical, hands-on training days on November 21-22. Deep dive into topics including team topologies, ML, Rust, domain-driven design, Gen AI, and more. Early bird discount ends October 1. [Explore the training days](. [QCon London 2025, Apr 7-9]( QCon London will bring together senior developers and architects for deep dives into the latest emerging trends, best practices, and use cases. The 15 tracks include AI, ML, FinTech, modern architectures, security, leadership, and more! Early bird discount ends October 1. [Explore the tracks](. About InfoQ Senior software developers rely on the InfoQ community to keep ahead of the adoption curve. One of the main reasons software architects and engineers tell us they keep coming back to InfoQ is because they trust the information provided and selected by their peers. 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