Platform Engineering

Golden Paths & Self-service

Make the right way the easy way.

30 min read intermediate 3 objectives

Status

Not started

What you will learn

  • Design golden paths
  • Enable self-service
  • Balance freedom and standards

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The basics, in plain English

A golden path is a recommended, well-supported way to do a common task, like creating a new service. It is the easy, paved road that already handles the boring setup correctly. Developers can stray off it if needed, but the golden path makes the right way the easy way.

Golden path
The recommended, well-supported way to do a common task.
Paved road
Another name for the golden path: a smooth, ready-made route.
Template
A pre-built starting point so developers do not begin from scratch.
Self-service
Developers using the golden path on their own, without waiting on a team.
Opinionated
The platform makes sensible default choices for you to reduce decisions.
Guardrails
Safe limits built into the path so the easy way is also the correct way.
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Self-service

A golden path is an opinionated, supported route to production. Self-service portals let developers provision without filing tickets.

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