On a casual evening, a few friends from the OpenSourceSantiago community got together to talk about something we’re passionate about and want to share with newcomers: Platform Engineering.

🖋️ Participants and Authors

☕ It All Started With a Simple Question…

—"What does Platform Engineering mean to you?"
That’s how it began. No PowerPoints, no textbook definitions. Just a real conversation, with anecdotes, doubts, and that unique energy you get when people care about what they’re doing.

“We want to promote an open space where everyone can share their experiences and definitions of Platform Engineering.”

🧩 It’s More Than Tools — It’s About Integration

Javi put it simply and honestly:

“To me, Platform Engineering helps us integrate teams, processes, and tools to make our daily work easier.”

He added something we all relate to:

“My bookmarks are a mess... Platform Engineering would help me have fewer tabs open.”

Sometimes Platform Engineering starts with organizing your digital chaos.

💡 Pablo Adds: “It’s the Natural Evolution of DevOps”

For Pablo, Platform Engineering is:

“Breaking silos and creating centralized tools that make life easier for the entire organization—not just developers.”

And he dropped this truth bomb:

“It’s not just about development. It’s for the entire IT organization.”

🔄 DevOps ≠ Competition. It’s Evolution.

A recurring idea was to stop seeing DevOps and Platform Engineering as competing ideas. They’re complementary. The key is to combine forces, not compete.

“Let’s move past competitive mindsets and adopt a unifying vision.”

🎯 What Problems Are We Solving?

In a nutshell: we simplify. We integrate. We make complex systems more accessible. One panelist said:

“Problems aren’t magically solved. What we do is break them down into smaller, manageable pieces.”

That’s Platform Engineering in action.

🔁 Tips for Newcomers

🎙 1. Keep it Close to Home

If you don’t feel like you belong, you won’t get involved. Start from the everyday. Organize your tools. Document a process. Write a script that helps your team. You're already practicing Platform Engineering.

🧠 2. Start with Clear Goals

“Discord channels thrive when there's a clear purpose. If it’s just ‘join and ask,’ it won’t work.”

🌱 3. Think Community from Day One

Create spaces. Invite others. Use post-its. Use Mentimeter. Ask open questions. But above all, create conversation.

💬 4. You Don’t Need to Be an Expert

“Let’s ask: What is Platform Engineering to you? Let each person define it from their experience.”

🔚 Wrapping Up With Smiles and Takeaways

The session ended with a universal truth:

“Time just flew by…”

And that’s what happens when passionate people talk. You can feel we’re building something beyond tools. We’re building a purpose-driven community.

📢 So, What’s Your Definition of Platform Engineering?

We invite you to join the conversation—at our events, on Discord, or just by sharing this post. If there’s one thing we learned, it’s that Platform Engineering is as broad as the people practicing it.

🔧 Friends Talk: What is Platform Engineering and Why Does It Matter?

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