Module 1: What is an Internal Delivery Platform?
Belt Level: 🥋 White Belt Estimated Time: 60 minutes (15 min theory + 45 min hands-on lab) Prerequisites: Basic command line, Git, and Kubernetes knowledge DORA Capability: Continuous Delivery (introduction)
Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- ✅ Define what an Internal Delivery Platform (IDP) is and explain its core components
- ✅ Articulate why organisations need IDPs using concrete DORA metrics
- ✅ Explain the "Platform as a Product" mindset and its benefits
- ✅ Navigate the Fawkes platform (Backstage portal, ArgoCD, Grafana)
- ✅ Deploy a sample service using the Fawkes golden path template
- ✅ Verify end-to-end delivery: code → ArgoCD → Kubernetes → observability
Module Structure
| Section | Time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Theory | 15 min | What is an IDP, DORA metrics, Platform as a Product |
| Lab 01 | 45 min | Deploy hello-fawkes via golden path template |
Theory Summary (15 minutes)
What is an Internal Delivery Platform?
An Internal Delivery Platform (IDP) is a curated set of tools, services, and self-service capabilities that application teams use to deliver and manage their software with minimal friction.
Think of it as "paved roads for software delivery" — just as cities build roads so citizens do not have to navigate rough terrain, platforms build golden paths so developers do not have to navigate infrastructure complexity.
The Three Characteristics of an IDP
- Self-Service — developers provision resources and deploy without waiting for tickets
- Curated & Opinionated — the platform team makes thoughtful tool and pattern decisions
- Built on Standards — uses industry-standard tools to avoid vendor lock-in
Why DORA Metrics Matter
According to the 2024 State of DevOps Report, elite performers compared to low performers:
- Deploy 973 times more frequently
- Have a 6,570 times faster lead time for changes
- Have a 3 times lower change failure rate
An IDP is the mechanism that moves teams from low to elite performance by removing toil, enforcing quality gates, and providing golden paths.
The Fawkes Platform Components
| Component | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Backstage | Developer portal — service catalog, TechDocs, golden path templates |
| ArgoCD | GitOps — syncs Git state to Kubernetes automatically |
| Prometheus + Grafana | Observability — metrics, dashboards, alerting |
| Vault | Secrets management |
| k3d | Local Kubernetes cluster for development |
Lab
➡️ Lab 01: Deploy a Service via Golden Path Template
This lab walks you through deploying a sample service (hello-fawkes) using the
Fawkes platform. You will apply Kubernetes manifests, register the service in
Backstage, and verify the full delivery pipeline end-to-end.
Validation: make dojo-validate BELT=white MODULE=01 LAB=01
Success Criteria
You have mastered this module when you can:
- Explain to a colleague why your organisation needs a platform (in business terms)
- Navigate the Fawkes Backstage portal and find a service's TechDocs
- Deploy a new service using the golden path template and confirm it is healthy
- Describe how ArgoCD keeps Git and cluster state in sync
Next Steps
After completing this module, proceed to:
➡️ Module 02: DORA Metrics — Measuring Delivery Performance