Principles¶
The Skatzi platform is built on a foundation of modern software engineering principles and operational best practices. Our philosophy guides every architectural decision and operational procedure.
Core Principles¶
1. Everything as Code 📝¶
We believe that infrastructure, configuration, and policies should be expressed as code, version-controlled, and automatically applied.
What this means: - Infrastructure definitions in Terraform - Application configurations in Kubernetes manifests - Policies and procedures in Git repositories - Documentation alongside code
Benefits: - Reproducible environments - Audit trail for all changes - Collaborative development - Disaster recovery capabilities
2. GitOps-First Approach 🔄¶
Git repositories serve as the single source of truth for system state, with automated reconciliation ensuring reality matches intent.
Implementation: - Flux CD continuously monitors Git repositories - All changes flow through Git workflows - Automatic drift detection and correction - Pull-based deployment model
Advantages: - Security through Git-based permissions - Rollback capabilities via Git history - Transparent change management - Reduced manual intervention
3. Cloud-Native Architecture ☁️¶
We embrace cloud-native patterns and technologies to build scalable, resilient, and maintainable systems.
Key Technologies: - Kubernetes: Container orchestration foundation - Microservices: Loosely coupled service architecture - API-First: Everything exposed through well-defined APIs - Event-Driven: Asynchronous communication patterns
Design Patterns: - Immutable infrastructure - Twelve-factor applications - Circuit breaker patterns - Observability built-in
4. Security by Design 🔐¶
Security is not an afterthought but a fundamental aspect of every component and process.
Security Layers: - Infrastructure: Immutable OS (Talos), encrypted communication - Platform: RBAC, network policies, secret management - Application: OIDC/OAuth2, container scanning, runtime protection - Operational: Audit logging, compliance monitoring
Zero Trust Model: - No implicit trust between components - Continuous verification and validation - Principle of least privilege - Defense in depth
5. Operational Excellence 🎯¶
We strive for systems that are easy to operate, monitor, and maintain, with automation reducing toil and human error.
Automation Philosophy: - Automate repetitive tasks - Human-readable automation scripts - Fail-fast with clear error messages - Self-healing where possible
Observability: - Comprehensive metrics collection - Structured logging - Distributed tracing (planned) - User-centric monitoring
Design Philosophy¶
Simplicity Over Complexity¶
We choose simple, well-understood solutions over complex, cutting-edge alternatives unless the benefits clearly justify the complexity.
Examples: - Single production environment over multiple staging environments - Static node assignment over dynamic load balancing - Proven technologies over experimental ones
Convention Over Configuration¶
We establish strong conventions to reduce cognitive load and configuration overhead.
Conventions: - Consistent naming patterns for resources - Standardized labels and annotations - Common service port assignments - Uniform directory structures
Fail Fast and Recover Quickly¶
Systems should detect failures quickly and recover automatically when possible, with clear escalation paths when human intervention is required.
Implementation: - Health checks on all services - Circuit breakers for external dependencies - Automated rollback on deployment failures - Clear alerting and escalation procedures
Operational Philosophy¶
Documentation-Driven Development¶
Documentation is not just an output but an integral part of the development process.
Practices: - Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) for major decisions - Runbooks for operational procedures - API documentation for all services - Living documentation that evolves with the code
Continuous Learning and Improvement¶
We embrace a culture of experimentation, learning from failures, and continuously improving our processes.
Learning Mechanisms: - Regular retrospectives and post-mortems - Experimentation in non-critical areas - Knowledge sharing sessions - External community engagement
Sustainable Pace¶
We optimize for long-term productivity and maintainability rather than short-term velocity.
Practices: - Technical debt management - Regular refactoring and updates - Sustainable on-call practices - Investment in tooling and automation
Technology Choices¶
Our technology selections are guided by these criteria:
Maturity and Stability¶
We prefer mature, stable technologies with active communities and long-term support.
Integration and Ecosystem¶
Technologies should integrate well with our existing stack and have rich ecosystems.
Operational Simplicity¶
New technologies should reduce, not increase, operational complexity.
Security Posture¶
Security features and track record are primary considerations.
Examples in Practice¶
Why Talos OS?¶
- Immutable: Reduces drift and security vulnerabilities
- Minimal: Smaller attack surface and resource footprint
- API-Driven: Everything configurable through APIs
- Kubernetes-Native: Purpose-built for Kubernetes
Why Flux CD?¶
- Pull-Based: More secure than push-based deployments
- Kubernetes-Native: Uses Kubernetes APIs and patterns
- Multi-Tenancy: Supports multiple applications and teams
- GitOps: Aligns with our everything-as-code philosophy
Why Cilium?¶
- eBPF: High performance with advanced features
- Observability: Built-in network monitoring and troubleshooting
- Security: Network policies and service mesh capabilities
- Gateway API: Modern ingress with advanced routing
Why Hetzner Cloud?¶
- European: GDPR compliance and data sovereignty
- Cost-Effective: Excellent price-performance ratio
- Simple: Straightforward API and pricing model
- Reliable: Strong SLA and uptime record
Anti-Patterns We Avoid¶
Configuration Sprawl¶
We avoid excessive configuration options that lead to complexity and inconsistency.
Vendor Lock-In¶
We choose open standards and avoid proprietary solutions that limit portability.
Premature Optimization¶
We optimize for simplicity and maintainability first, performance second.
Cargo Cult Engineering¶
We understand the reasoning behind our choices rather than blindly copying patterns.
Future Evolution¶
Our philosophy evolves as we learn and as the technology landscape changes. We regularly review our principles and practices to ensure they continue to serve our goals.
Planned Evolution: - Enhanced security posture with runtime protection - Multi-region deployment capabilities - Advanced observability with distributed tracing - Machine learning-powered operations
Contributing to Philosophy¶
Our philosophy is not set in stone. We welcome discussions and proposals for evolution through:
- Architecture Decision Records (ADRs)
- Team discussions and retrospectives
- External feedback and industry best practices
- Continuous experimentation and learning
For more details on how to contribute, see our Contribution Guide.