Top 10 platform engineering tools for 2025

Editor's note: This post was last updated on 1 December 2024 to reflect the latest trends in platform engineering and incorporate new developments and tools shaping the field. At Port, we’re committed to keeping our content current so you can always access the best insights and recommendations.

Platform engineering continues to gain popularity, and in June 2024, Gartner even created its own hype cycle for it. 

Instead of relying on "ticket ops"—where developers submit requests for resources—or even traditional DevOps practices, platform engineering champions create an internal developer platform. This platform is designed to:

• Provide developers with self-service capabilities to work autonomously without waiting for operational support.
• Ensure that every application and service complies with critical standards, such as production readiness, application security (AppSec), cost optimization, and other organizational or regulatory requirements.

Essentially, the goal is to balance developer autonomy with robust compliance—letting engineers focus on building great software while the platform handles the guardrails. 

What is platform engineering?

Platform engineering is all about making life easier for developers. The goal is to create a centralized “shop” where they can get everything they need to build and ship their code without worrying about the details of infrastructure or operations.

Using tools like Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines, and Infrastructure as Code (IaC), platform engineering helps teams:

• Get more done: Automated workflows and efficient processes mean developers spend less time on tedious tasks and more time creating features.
• Focus on what matters: With a platform, developers don’t need to know every detail of the infrastructure or tech stack—jut the parts that matter to them. This simplifies their experience, shows what’s relevant, and keeps the noise out of their way.
• Build with confidence: The platform includes built-in standards and best practices to keep deployments consistent and reliable so things work the way they should.

The ultimate goal of platform engineering is developer autonomy. A developer, whether a Kubernetes expert or a new team member, should be able to perform routine tasks like provisioning a database or deploying an application without needing deep operational expertise. Instead, the platform provides a simplified, abstract interface that handles the heavy lifting.

What is an internal developer platform (IDP)?

The term IDP can be confusing because it’s often used interchangeably to describe two related concepts:

1. Internal Developer Platform
2. Internal Developer Portal

At its heart, an IDP (as we use the term) refers to the platform itself—a collection of tools and workflows that provide developers with:

• Visibility into resources and processes
• Compliance with organizational standards
• Reusable, self-service actions for common development tasks

Meanwhile, the internal developer portal serves as the platform's interface. It’s the user-friendly layer where developers interact with the platform. The portal simplifies developers' work and gives managers visibility into metrics like compliance and productivity. Together, the platform and portal work as a seamless system, balancing simplicity for developers with operational control for the organization.

The challenge of building a platform

Making a high-functioning platform requires more than a collection of tools—it also requires a deep understanding of developer needs, operational goals, and the technological ecosystem. With all this knowledge baked into the platform, engineers can streamline developer workflows, remove unnecessary complexity, and improve the consistency of best practices.

This article explores the key components and essential tools that establish a high-performing internal developer platform that empowers developers while meeting organizational standards. But first, let’s examine the fundamentals of platform engineering and its centerpiece—the internal developer platform.

Why platform engineering tools matter

Platform engineering tools are the building blocks of a great developer platform. They automate repetitive tasks, simplify complex workflows, and integrate seamlessly across the development lifecycle. Without these tools, developers often face:

• Delays caused by manual resource requests and approvals
• Frustration with inconsistent processes or environments
• Risk of errors due to lack of standardization

By incorporating the right tools, organizations can achieve:

• Faster development cycles: Automation speeds up processes—from provisioning to deployment.
• Improved collaboration: Unified workflows reduce silos between teams.
• Enhanced security and compliance: Built-in policies ensure standards are met without manual oversight.

In short, platform engineering tools are the foundation for modern software development, enabling teams to innovate faster while maintaining control and reliability.

Core features of platform tools

While every platform is unique, the best tools and platforms share a few key characteristics:

1. Developer enablement: The primary goal is simplifying developers' lives through self-service and a better developer experience. This includes everything from golden paths (opinionated workflows for common tasks) to day-2 operations like managing updates and scaling.
2. Productivity focus: Metrics matter. Effective platforms track and optimize developer productivity, identify bottlenecks, and drive continuous improvement.
3. Agility and reuse:Reusability is critical. By standardizing and automating workflows, teams can reduce wasted time and focus on building repeatable, scalable processes.
4. Security by design: Security doesn’t have to slow developers down. Platforms with built-in AppSec features (like scorecards or automated checks) enable teams to deliver secure software effortlessly.
5. Compliance with standards: Whether it’s production readiness or cost management, platforms ensure compliance by integrating observability and policy enforcement into everyday workflows.

With these principles in mind, let’s explore the tools that make a successful platform possible.

The right tools are needed to build an effective internal developer platform. These tools work together to automate processes, improve visibility, and make development smoother for everyone involved. Here’s our updated list of the top ten platform engineering tools for 2025—and why they deserve a spot in your toolkit.

1. Internal developer portals – Port

Internal developer portals are the backbone of platform engineering. They give developers a simple, organized way to access resources, manage environments, and get their work done without waiting for help from ops teams.

Port stands out because it goes beyond just being a “dashboard.” It combines everything a developer might need—from spinning up microservices to managing day-2 operations—and wraps it in a clean, self-service interface. Developers can work independently while staying within the guardrails set by platform engineers.

Managers love Port, too. It tracks compliance, measures engineering efficiency, and makes it easier to spot bottlenecks. Whether you're scaling an enterprise team or running a lean operation, Port ensures developers are productive and aligned with company goals.

2. Kubernetes ecosystem – Crossplane

Managing cloud resources is tricky. Developers need access to infrastructure, but you don’t want them dealing with every detail of Kubernetes, networking, or storage. Enter Crossplane.

Crossplane transforms Kubernetes into a control plane, letting developers provision the resources they need through a custom API. Instead of manually configuring infrastructure, they can focus on building applications. At the same time, platform engineers still have control through policies and automation, making sure everything stays secure, efficient, and compliant.

Crossplane helps you manage infrastructure and empowers your team to build faster without sacrificing control.

3. Secrets management – HashiCorp Vault

Platforms need a way to protect sensitive data, like API keys, database passwords, and encryption keys. HashiCorp Vault is a powerful tool for managing these types of secrets.

It stores secrets securely and ensures only the right people or services can access them. Vault also automates sharing and updating secrets, eliminating worry about mistakes. This keeps data safe, even as the platform grows.

4. Monitoring and observability – Grafana Stack

The Grafana Stack is an open-source platform that helps teams monitor and understand their systems by bringing together metrics, logs, and traces in one place. It includes tools like Grafana for dashboards, Loki for logs, Tempo for tracing, and Mimir for scalable metrics storage, all of which work well together.

For platform engineers, it simplifies observability by combining everything into a single view, making troubleshooting and optimizing complex systems easier. It’s also flexible, cost-effective, and integrates easily with existing tools, giving you the power to keep your platforms running smoothly.

5. Developer Experience Tools – DX 

A great platform isn’t just functional—it’s enjoyable to use. That’s why DX focuses on developer experience. These tools measure how developers interact with the platform and pinpoint areas for improvement.

Think of DX as a feedback loop. It shows you what’s slowing developers down, whether unclear workflows, bottlenecks, or unnecessary steps. Making targeted improvements helps boost productivity and turns the platform into a place where developers love to work.

6. FinOps Tools – CAST AI

Cloud costs can quickly get out of hand. Developers can access powerful cloud tools; sometimes, spending adds up without anyone noticing. That’s where CAST AI comes in.

CAST AI looks at Kubernetes clusters to find ways to cut waste and save money. It can even automate fixes to keep your cloud running efficiently. It’s not just about saving money—it’s about building smarter habits that grow with your platform.

7. Platform orchestration – Humanitec

‍Humanitec is a leading platform orchestrator that simplifies developer workflows by abstracting infrastructure complexity, aligning well with DevOps and platform engineering principles.

Humanitec makes life easier for developers and platform teams by automating resource provisioning and simplifying workflows. Developers can handle tasks like deploying apps or setting up environments without needing help, while platform engineers keep everything compliant and secure behind the scenes. It’s perfect for teams that want to reduce operational delays and keep developers focused on building.

8. Infrastructure as code orchestration – Spacelift

Built for infrastructure as code (IaC) management with strong GitOps support, Spacelift is ideal for modern platform engineering teams.

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Spacelift takes the hassle out of managing infrastructure with tools like Terraform and Pulumi. It helps teams make changes faster, keeps everything organized with Git-based tracking, and ensures rules like security policies are always followed. For teams scaling their IaC setup, Spacelift is a straightforward way to stay efficient and in control. 

9. Continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) – Argo CD

Every team wants fast and smooth releases. Argo CD makes that possible with GitOps-powered CI/CD pipelines.

Argo CD automates deployments and tracks everything in version control. It’s lightweight and works great with Kubernetes. Argo CD keeps processes like rolling out new features or fixing bugs quick and reliable.

10. Cloud development environments – Gitpod

Setting up a dev environment shouldn’t take hours. With Gitpod, developers can launch pre-configured environments in seconds, with all the necessary tools and dependencies.

Gitpod takes the pain out of environment setup, ensuring every developer works in the same conditions. It’s especially useful for onboarding new team members or switching between projects.

By eliminating the classic “it works on my machine” problem, Gitpod keeps development moving forward.

Your platform, your way

The main goal of platform engineering is to give developers the tools they need to do their best work while helping the organization hit its goals. Managing multiple tools and ensuring they work together can be a challenge. By integrating insights across tools like secrets management, observability, and infrastructure as code, Port provides a unified view of your platform. It doesn’t just simplify workflows—it ensures your developers stay productive, compliant, and focused on building great software.

Ready to see how Port can help you build the platform of your dreams? Learn more here.

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