5 Platform Engineering Trends to Watch in 2024
Every leap and bound in technology can be traced back to the contributions of platform engineering. This technology approach has been the powerhouse behind many of the industry’s seismic shifts, from the early days of cloud computing to today’s AI-driven development platforms.
Its evolution rapidly transformed how enterprises build and manage their application infrastructure, making complex tech simpler and more accessible to developers, businesses, and end-users alike. In fact, research from Gartner shows that by 2026, 80% of large software engineering organizations will leverage platform engineering teams for application delivery, streamlining the workflow between developers and operators.
As we move through 2024, we’re at yet another technological turning point. Platform engineering is at the forefront of digital transformation, driving key trends that are changing how companies operate and engage with customers. Read on as we dive into the top five platform engineering trends to watch this year—and how partnering with a workforce solutions provider like KORE1 can help you take advantage of these new opportunities.
1. Further Shift to a Product-Centric Funding Model
Gone are the days when IT was just the gatekeeper of tech resources, primarily seen as a cost center whose main job was to keep an organization’s lights on. The cloud has flipped this script, empowering developers to quickly access the infrastructure they need for their applications, effectively democratizing technology within organizations.
Modernization drove companies to the cloud and pushed them to embrace a more collaborative approach. Platform engineering emerged as a solution, aligning cloud operations with developers and business users.
But this change in operational mindset also called for a rethink in how these initiatives are funded. Traditional funding models in IT are project-centric, designed around initiatives with a clear beginning and end.
Platform engineering doesn’t fit neatly into this box. It’s ongoing, akin to a product that needs continuous development, maintenance, and support.
In 2024, we expect to see more organizations move towards product-centric funding models, which recognize the need for sustained investment in platform engineering. Dedicated platform engineering teams will then become accountable for the entire product lifecycle, leading to smarter development, better collaboration, and the freedom to adapt funding based on results.
2. Platform Engineering Becomes an Extension to DevOps
While DevOps practices aim to accelerate application development, the cloud introduced new challenges. Traditional “gatekeeping” models persist within cloud operations, which, despite their intent to maintain control and security, often introduce bottlenecks that impede the speed of development and innovation.
Here’s where platform engineering’s “everything as code” philosophy shines. The codification built into platform engineering at the infrastructure, governance, and security levels helps to reduce workflow hiccups across the board. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) allows teams to manage and provision their computing environments through code rather than through manual processes.
Similarly, Governance as Code (GaC) and Security as Code (SaC) ensure compliance and security measures are embedded into the development process from the outset, making them both more effective and less intrusive.
That’s the heart of platform engineering—making everything from setting up servers to enforcing rules and keeping data safe something we can script and automate. This shift doesn’t just nix the slowdowns caused by outdated methods but paves the way for faster, smoother innovation.
According to Puppet’s State of Platform Engineering survey, 94% of participants agree that the concept enhances their organization’s ability to leverage DevOps effectively. Those advantages include:
- Improvements in system reliability (60%)
- Greater productivity and efficiency (59%)
- Better workflow standards (57%)
We anticipate 2024 will be the year organizations widely adopt platform engineering as an essential progression from DevOps, enabling them to operate at the speed of business.
3. Platform Engineering Powered by GenAI
Generative AI (GenAI) has been at the forefront of technological discussions in 2023. This year, we expect to see these capabilities translated into enterprise-ready use cases for platform engineering.
Imagine AI-powered code assistants that generate IaC, Governance as Code, and Security as Code, all aimed at streamlining Day 2 operations. By automating the creation of complex code scripts, these AI assistants can drastically reduce the time and effort required to manage and optimize cloud infrastructure, enforce governance policies, and implement security measures.
For example, OpenAI’s Codex is being explored for IaC generation. Codex can translate natural language descriptions into code, potentially allowing creation of IaC templates from human-readable infrastructure configurations.
Also, generative AI-powered chatbots could assist site reliability engineers (SREs) and platform engineering professionals with documentation, infrastructure playbooks, and other essential tasks. By handling routine inquiries and duties, these virtual assistants allow engineering professionals to focus on more strategic, high-value activities.
4. Expansion of Security by Design
Traditionally, security measures have often been bolted on as an afterthought—think building a house and adding an alarm system after the house is already built.
The “secure by design” approach, on the other hand, incorporates security features like strong locks and reinforced doors right from the blueprint stage. Platform engineering teams might leverage IaC templates like those on Terraform that come pre-configured with security best practices in mind. These templates could automatically enforce settings for encryption, user access controls, and other critical security measures.
Additionally, platform engineers might utilize tools like Azure Security Center that scan for weaknesses during the infrastructure provisioning process. Catching and fixing these vulnerabilities early on significantly reduces the attack surface for malicious actors.
Not to mention, proactive security integration also streamlines the development process and avoids the need for time-consuming security audits later on.
5. Platform as a Service (PaaS) Evolution
The future of PaaS is bright, and its evolution is directly linked to the growth of platform engineering. As PaaS offerings mature, they are increasingly becoming more sophisticated, providing developers with environments that are not only pre-configured but are also highly customizable and adaptable to a wide range of development needs.
Platforms like AWS Elastic Beanstalk and Google Cloud App Engine now go beyond basic hosting capabilities to include advanced services such as automated scaling, built-in security features, assimilation with continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, and support for containerization and microservices architectures.
PaaS is also evolving to offer more industry-specific solutions, providing tailored environments that meet the unique requirements of sectors such as healthcare, finance, and retail. These specialized PaaS solutions help organizations comply with industry regulations and leverage best practices without the need for extensive customization.
Embrace the Future With KORE1
Platform engineering is poised to be a defining force in the tech industry, laying the foundation for a future brimming with innovation across companies of all sizes. At the heart of any technological advancement lies the need for skilled professionals who can bring these innovations to life.
As a leading IT and engineering workforce solutions provider, KORE1 is positioned to help your company leverage these trends to drive innovation, efficiency, and growth.
We specialize in matching businesses like yours with top-tier talent in serverless computing, AI, edge computing, and more. Whether you’re looking to scale your team with experienced professionals or seeking temporary specialized expertise to tackle a unique challenge, we’ll connect you with the people who can turn your ambitions into reality.