Before You Decide to Implement a Developer Portal, Do You Really Need It?

What is a Developer Portal?

A developer portal is a platform that centralizes tools, processes, information, and infrastructure, allowing developers easy access to organizational services and technologies. Its purpose is to provide automation, transparency, and self-service for developers, enabling them to perform various tasks independently without relying on other teams like DevOps or IT. But does every organization really need a developer portal?

What Does it Require from You?

While the benefits of a developer portal are clear, managing it is a significant organizational investment. Maintaining a portal requires continuous updates, ensuring all processes integrate properly with the organization’s infrastructure. A portal that demands constant upkeep, upgrades, and feature additions can become a burden if not managed correctly.

This means you need technological and human resources dedicated to supporting it. Teams must spend time and energy on its management and maintenance, including integrations, updates, and troubleshooting.

Are There Alternatives to a Portal?

Many tools that organizations already use include features that can fulfill the role of a developer portal. For example, platforms like GitLab or GitHub offer Scaffolding tools that allow developers to automatically create projects or catalogs that centralize previously developed services for reuse.

There are alternatives such as GitOps and ChatOps, which enable developers to work independently through existing automated processes without needing to manage a separate portal:

• GitOps allows for automation and infrastructure management via Git, providing control and transparency to CI/CD processes.
• ChatOps integrates with tools like Slack to trigger processes directly from chat channels.

These approaches can offer self-service capabilities without the need for a fully managed portal.

So What Should You Consider Before Deciding?

To determine whether there’s a need to implement a portal, it’s important to ask yourself some key questions:

• What problem am I trying to solve in the development experience or productivity? Before rushing to implement a portal, assess whether there is an actual issue with the existing processes. Are there delays in developers’ work? Do they lack access to certain services, or are integrations cumbersome?
• What is the goal of the tool I am introducing? Is this tool meant to solve a specific issue with the developer experience or infrastructure? Or is the goal to provide better visibility for managers? Consider whether investing in such a tool truly serves the organization’s best interests.
• Is self-service a good enough reason for a portal? Self-service is a valid goal, but a portal may not be the most efficient solution. Tools like GitOps and ChatOps can offer self-service in a much simpler way, without the commitment to maintaining a complex portal.

So, Before deciding to implement a developer portal, it’s crucial to deeply evaluate your organization’s needs, goals, and existing alternatives. A well-thought-out choice can save your organization time, resources, and unnecessary frustration.