Golden paths for developers checklist

1. Identify target journeys (e.g., API service, background job, SPA) and collect baseline metrics for each.
2. Document platform standards and compliance requirements that the golden path must enforce.
3. Design template repositories and workflows; review with security, SRE, and architecture stakeholders.
4. Build automation (CLI, scaffolder, developer portal wizard) that provisions repos, CI/CD, secrets, and observability by default.
5. Create documentation: quickstart guide, decision record, troubleshooting tips, and escalation paths.
6. Run a pilot with one or two stream-aligned teams; capture time-to-first-deploy, friction logs, and improvement ideas.
7. Iterate on automation and docs based on pilot feedback; ensure templates have code owners and testing.
8. Launch broadly with enablement sessions, office hours, and a communications plan.
9. Instrument adoption metrics (usage per week, time saved, support tickets) and review monthly.
10. Schedule periodic maintenance windows to update dependencies, templates, and compliance checks.

Prerequisites

• Dedicated platform team members to own templates and respond to feedback.
• Service catalog and access to required automation APIs.

Pitfalls

• Accepting scope creep for edge cases instead of keeping the path focused.
• Neglecting continuous maintenance, causing templates to fall out of date.
• Launching without support channels or success stories to drive adoption.

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