Developers are always looking for ways to improve their workflows and be more productive. Backstage Software Templates offer a great way to do this, especially for Java developers. I have given a presentation about this at DevNexus recently and wanted to share some high level leranings from it and the final slides with you. Learn more about the below topics directly from the slides.
What is Backstage?
Backstage is an open-source platform for building developer portals. It was created by Spotify and is now an incubating project of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF). Backstage helps you create a central place for all your infrastructure tools, services, and documentation. It has many features, including a software catalog, software templates, tech docs, and plugins.
What are Software Templates?
Software Templates are a key part of Backstage. They allow developers to create new software components using predefined templates. These templates have everything you need to start a new project, like code scaffolding, CI/CD configurations, and documentation.
Benefits of Using Software Templates
Software Templates have several benefits. They make developers more efficient by eliminating manual setup, allowing them to start new projects quickly. They also reduce errors by providing predefined templates, helping developers avoid mistakes and be consistent. Additionally, they improve collaboration because teams can share and reuse them.
How to Use Software Templates
To use Software Templates, you first create a template with its structure, code, configurations, and documentation. Then, you store the template in a Git repository or a central location, make it available to Backstage and finally, you use the Backstage UI to create a new component from the template.
Advanced Customization
Backstage Software Templates can be customized in several ways. You can create custom actions to extend their functionality. You can also use template filters to process data. Additionally, you can use the Nunjucks API for advanced templating.
Best Practices
When using Backstage Software Templates, you should organize them clearly and consistently. You can also track their usage to see how to improve them. Additionally, you should provide clear documentation for each template.
Backstage Software Templates are a powerful tool for Java developers who want to be more efficient and productive. By using Backstage and following best practices, developers can create and use templates that make them more efficient, reduce errors, and improve collaboration.
