Platform engineering is a discipline focused on designing and building internal developer platforms, toolchains, and workflows that allow for self-service capabilities for software engineering organizations. It's about creating environments and giving ways to deploy systems and software internally for teams, with the goal of improving positive developer experience. To implement platform engineering effectively, focus on outcome-based decision-making, selecting tools based on their functionality, and adopting a high-velocity team approach where each member has specific expertise and covers different layers of the platform. With an abundance of tools and vendors, it's essential to take a holistic approach, cut through the hype, and prioritize substance over popularity.