Organizations are trying to find a robust system to manage the software development cycle. Managing this cycle is important to speed up the development and deployment of software. Backstage has emerged as a powerful solution in this regard. It is an open-source platform developed by Spotify that helps in managing software development and infrastructure.
Just like any other tool, Backstage also comes with its own merits and demerits. You may have to face several challenges when using Backstage. Navigating these challenges is mandatory to get assistance in managing the software development cycle. In this guide, we will explore different challenges you have to face when using Backstage. We will also tell you how to deal with these challenges. Let’s start exploring these challenges and their solutions without further ado.
Learning Curve
Backstage is a powerful solution for managing software development. It has several advanced features that can be used by the developers to manage things appropriately. However, these advanced features make it difficult to understand the mechanism of this platform. It leads to a learning curve. This curve becomes even steeper for the new users.
To navigate this challenge, you can leverage the official documents and tutorials. Along with this, you can also access official community forums. These tutorials and documents will help you learn about this platform. Moreover, you can get proper training to use Backstage. Allocate a specific time for training your teams. It will gradually ease the onboarding process.
Customization
Backstage offers several customization options. This customization allows you to use the platform according to your specific needs. However, understanding and using the customization features can be challenging, especially for new users. If you have limited experience in software development, you may not be able to customize the platform according to your needs.
The easiest way to deal with this challenge is to leverage the power of different plugins. These modular plugins help you tailor the Backstage to your needs. The most important thing you can do in this regard is not to use the customization directly in the production setting. Experiment the customization in a development environment before implementing it in production settings.
Plugins Compatibility
The plugin architecture is one of the most exciting things about Backstage. It is compatible with various plugins to ensure that you can tailor the platform to your organization’s requirements. However, continuous updates can impact the plugins compatibility. After the update, it may not remain compatible with some of the existing plugins.
Navigating this challenge is a little tricky. The simplest thing you can do in this regard is to check potential documents and release notes before upgrading the Backstage application. It will help you understand the potential impacts of this upgrade on the existing plugins. You can also engage with the Backstage community to get insights into the plugin’s compatibility and solutions.
Community and Documentation
It’s difficult to understand the community and documentation for different plugins. The level of community support varies for different plugins. The main challenge is you need to choose those plugins that receive better community support from Backstage.
To navigate this challenge, you should pay special attention to the documentation. Well-documented and actively maintained plugins have better community support. Apart from that, you must actively participate in the backstage community. By doing so, you can share your experiences about different plugins and their support. Similarly, you have a chance to hear from other users and can choose the plugins wisely.
Resource Consumption
Backstage consumes different resources to assist you in managing the software development cycle. Understanding this resource consumption is a big challenge. Based on the complexity and size of your use case, resource consumption can be higher or lower. If enough resources are not available, it can impact the performance and responsiveness of the Backstage application.
To deal with this challenge, you can pay attention to the configuration settings of the backstage. Fine-tuning these settings will help in understanding resource consumption. Similarly, you must allocate responses as per your specific needs.
Final Words
We have delivered a detailed guide on different challenges associated with Backstage and how to navigate them. When you know the challenges, you can easily deal with them. Stick to the aforementioned solutions to deal with these challenges.
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