DevOps Practices in Government and the Public Sector

Government IT is undergoing a transformation to meet modern demands, with DevOps practices increasingly being adopted to modernize legacy systems and improve digital services. The public sector faces unique challenges such as strict compliance requirements, slow procurement processes, and the need for air-gapped environments, which complicate the implementation of DevOps compared to the private sector. A security-first approach, known as DevSecOps, is critical, involving practices like infrastructure as code (IaC) and policy as code to ensure continuous compliance and security throughout the software lifecycle. Spacelift has become the first IaC orchestration platform to achieve FedRAMP authorization, offering a unified platform for policy enforcement and flexible deployment models, addressing the specific needs of government DevOps teams. The drive for modernization is fueled by factors like digital-first service expectations, legacy technology debt, a talent gap, and the rapid adoption of AI, necessitating the adoption of continuous delivery and automation to provide citizens with reliable and efficient digital services.