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You need both: Kubernetes for infrastructure, and an Internal Developer Platform to make it usable for developers
If you're a scale-up CTO or engineering leader wrestling with this question, you're not alone. The confusion between Kubernetes and Internal Developer Platforms (IDPs) is one of the most common challenges we see organisations face as they scale.
The short answer? You probably need both - but not in the way you think.
Let's start by clearing up a fundamental misunderstanding: Kubernetes is not a developer platform. It's infrastructure.
Think of it this way:
Kubernetes provides container orchestration - the ability to deploy, scale, and manage containerised applications. But here's what it doesn't give you out of the box:
These are the things developers actually interact with daily. This is what an Internal Developer Platform provides.
Many scale-ups fall into the same trap: "We'll adopt Kubernetes and that will solve our platform problems."
Six months later, they've discovered that:
This happens because Kubernetes solves infrastructure problems, not developer experience problems.
You need Kubernetes when:
You need an Internal Developer Platform when:
For most scale-ups in the £2M-£20M ARR range with 20-100 developers, the answer is: you need both, and you need them now.
A proper developer platform built on Kubernetes provides:
Speed: 50% faster delivery through streamlined workflows and self-service capabilities
Operational Excellence: 50% reliability improvement and 15% cloud cost reduction through embedded best practices
Security: 50% fewer misconfigurations through automated policies and guardrails
Enablement: 4-5x more innovation capacity by freeing developers from infrastructure concerns, laying the foundation for AI, ML, and scalable platform capabilities
Let's talk numbers. If you have 20 developers earning an average of £100k, that's £2M in engineering salary.
Developer productivity typically drops 20% during rapid scaling phases when platform capabilities don't keep pace. That's £400k of wasted productivity annually.
Calculate your own platform ROI to see the potential impact for your organisation.
This is why platform engineering isn't a cost - it's one of the highest-ROI investments you can make.
Once you've decided you need both Kubernetes and a platform layer, the next question emerges: how do you get there?
Build It Yourself: 6-9 months minimum, 4-6 platform engineers dedicated full-time, high risk
Buy a Platform Product: 3-6 months for integration, may not fit your specific needs
Platform Accelerator: 4-12 weeks depending on your starting point and requirements, working with your existing team and infrastructure
At Appvia, we work alongside your team through our Platform Accelerator programme to rapidly mature your platform capabilities on Kubernetes. Whether you're starting from scratch, struggling with Kubernetes complexity, or looking to enhance an existing platform, our Experience-Based Acceleration methodology embeds specialists who build capability whilst delivering results.
Platform engineering typically delivers:
The ROI case for platform investment is compelling - which is why it's one of the highest-return investments growing engineering organisations can make.
You need both. Kubernetes provides the infrastructure foundation. The platform provides everything else developers need to be productive, secure, and fast.
The question isn't which one to choose - it's how quickly you can deliver both to your growing engineering organisation.
Ready to move beyond the Kubernetes vs platform debate? Book a free consultation to discuss whether the Platform Accelerator is right for your scale-up.
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