A service catalog, also known as a software catalog, has evolved from a simple inventory of services to a comprehensive system of record that provides a holistic view of all software-related activities, including dependencies, relationships, and metrics. It serves as the foundation for internal developer portals, offering functionalities such as incident management, cost management, and just-in-time permissions, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the software development lifecycle (SDLC). By aggregating data from various tools and processes, the service catalog enables developers, managers, and engineering leaders to gain insights, maintain standards, and address security and compliance issues. It centralizes information, reducing the need for manual updates and context-switching, and supports better decision-making and cost management. Integrating with numerous tools, it allows for the visualization of code repositories, security issues, runtime information, and cloud resource deployment, among others, ultimately making the SDLC more efficient and transparent for different personas within an organization.