Are orchestrators required for platform engineering?

Platform engineering encompasses a complex array of tools and processes within the software development life cycle (SDLC), which includes infrastructure as code, CI/CD pipelines, microservices, and cloud infrastructure, among other elements. An internal developer portal enhances platform usability by abstracting these complexities, allowing developers to interact with the platform autonomously and efficiently. The portal serves as an interface that connects to the platform's APIs, thus facilitating actions such as provisioning services and managing cloud resources while promoting organizational standards and compliance. The debate over where orchestration should reside—either within the platform itself or through the developer portal—focuses on the portal's role in streamlining workflows and serving as a central integration point. The portal is advocated as the optimal orchestrator due to its ability to trigger smart workflows and provide a unified interface that simplifies developer interactions with platform tools. By leveraging existing APIs, the portal reduces complexity and enhances the developer experience, aligning with the prediction that a significant majority of organizations will adopt internal developer portals in the coming years.