Backstage.io - Adoption

Introduction

• This blog reviews the technology stack used by the framework, and touches on common deployment approaches.

Technology Stack

• To work on your Backstage instance, you’ll be working with a lot of YAML, as YAML files are the primary source of metadata.
• For a basic setup, you’ll find it handy to have some knowledge of React to update your instance’s UI to include plugins.
• If you need custom processors or plugins, you’ll need a good understanding of Node, as it’s what powers Backstage’s backend. TypeScript is favored across the project.
• For local development, you can benefit from knowing how to use Docker. It will allow you to run a Backstage instance more efficiently or to build TechDocs before you deploy them, for example. Backstage uses YARN for package management.
• To follow up with the framework better, it’ll be handy for you to understand how monorepos work, as Backstage is implemented as such.
• Backstage follows a Semantic Versioning schema, cutting minor versions once a month.

Self-Hosted Backstage

• The advantage of self-hosted Backstage is that you have practically no limits on how much you customize your Backstage instance.
• Some go as far as using only the backend and constructing a frontend with their design system.
• The disadvantage of self-hosted Backstage is that your team will need to spend considerable effort learning about Backstage’s internals, upgrading the core libraries monthly, and each plugin when there’s a new release.

Managed Backstage

• As with other open source projects, there is a commercial offering for managed and hosted Backstage by Roadie.io, an official Backstage partner.
• The advantage of managed Backstage is that you get a production instance and need no knowledge of React or Node.
• You set up all integrations and plugins through a UI and get all updates automatically. Effectively, this translates into needing fewer people to maintain your Developer Portal.