WAX Conf 2024: When Platform Engineering Takes Flight
On June 6, I had the privilege of attending WAX Conf 2024 in Aix-en-Provence, an event that proved to be a real hub of innovation and reflection on the future of software development. Between unexpected reunions and technological discoveries, it was a day rich in learning.
Platform Engineering: a new autopilot for DevOps
One of the main themes of the day was Platform Engineering, presented as the natural evolution of DevOps practices. Two presentations in particular caught my attention: Air Corsica's "Vol WAX 2024" and Air France's presentation of Backstage.
These two airlines seem to have taken DevOps to new heights!
Frédéric Léger, Emilien Escalle, and Jean-François Vovard took us into the cockpit of Air Corsica to show us how they implemented a software value chain based on Platform Engineering. The latter has been defined as the art of building and maintaining infrastructure and tools to deliver business value while simplifying processes for developers. The presentation also included concrete demonstrations, illustrating the importance of Golden Paths and the Internal Dev Portal in facilitating the work of teams. This approach aims to offer more autonomy to development teams while maintaining a high level of security and operational efficiency.
What particularly struck me was how they structured their approach around key concepts such as self-service, ownership, and observability. Their impressive "toolkit," including Terragrunt, Rancher, GitHub Actions, Datadog, and more, clearly demonstrates the complexity and richness of the modern Platform Engineering ecosystem.
Later in the day, Nicolas Muller and Cédric Torq from Air France took the stage to present Backstage, an open-source tool developed by Spotify. Not without trolling "Air Corsica" along the way (fair enough), the duo showed how Air France uses Backstage to centralize and simplify the management of their development ecosystem.
These two presentations highlighted a clear trend: Platform Engineering is becoming the new "autopilot" of DevOps, enabling companies, whether small like Air Corsica or giant like Air France, to navigate more effectively through the turbulence of modern software development.
Eco-design: a new direction for web development
Another topic that gained traction during this conference was eco-design. The presentation by the SNCF Connect & Tech team on the eco-design of their corporate website was particularly enlightening. Amira Dkhil, Sylvain Bousselier, and Rémi Brissaud shared their experience of eco-responsible development, aligned with the RGESN (General Reference Framework for the Eco-design of Digital Services) standard.
They emphasized the importance of practices such as mobile-first development, image optimization with formats such as SVG and WebP, and the use of optimized fonts in WOFF2 format.
One particularly interesting point was their reflection on the use of Next.js in an eco-design context. They showed how, with a few adjustments such as disabling preflight and using SSR, it is possible to reconcile the advantages of a modern framework with the requirements of eco-design. By following the 115 Green IT best practices, SNCF Connect & Tech has successfully integrated eco-design from the outset of their projects, including specific criteria in the backlog and training teams in these new methods. The goal is to consume fewer resources while maintaining optimal performance, a crucial balance for sustainable development.
Data and security: high-altitude anonymization
The management of sensitive data was also an important topic of discussion. The presentation on data anonymization and pseudonymization offered interesting insights into how to manage sensitive information in development and testing environments. The tools presented, such as Google Cloud Platform's DLP, show that data security can be maintained even at scale.
An event rich in connections
Beyond the technical content, WAX Conf was a great networking opportunity. I had the pleasure of reconnecting with former colleagues and seeing familiar faces from the DevOps Aix-Marseille meetup. Even more surprisingly, I even had the opportunity to chat at length with former classmates from my engineering school!
Conclusion: Successful launch for WAX Conf 2024
This day at WAX Conf was a real journey through the new frontiers of software development. From platform engineering to eco-design and secure data management, the event offered a clear vision of the challenges and opportunities that await our industry.
The presentations by Air Corsica and SNCF Connect & Tech particularly highlighted how companies of different sizes and sectors can adapt and implement these new approaches. Whether through the implementation of a comprehensive DevOps platform or the adoption of eco-design practices, this concrete feedback is invaluable to the entire tech community.
As we navigate toward a future where operational efficiency must be balanced with environmental responsibility and data security, events like WAX Conf play a crucial role. They not only allow us to stay at the forefront of technology, but also to create and maintain the human connections that are at the heart of our tech community.
If you would like to learn more, I invite you to watch the videos of the WAX Conf conferences organized by Les Filles et Les Garçons de la Tech: WAX CONF 2024 - YouTube
Florent MAS
DevSec Practice Leader
