The article discusses the transition to a self-service approach for connecting applications to datastores, highlighting the use of Kubernetes to automate credential management and rotation. By implementing mutating admission webhooks and init containers, developers can deploy applications without manual credential handling, enhancing security and efficiency. This allows developers to focus on writing code rather than managing datastore complexities.

Many teams mislabel themselves as platform engineering teams while merely managing infrastructure, leading to scalability issues. True platform engineering involves creating a product-like Internal Developer Platform (IDP) that enables self-service for developers, shifting responsibilities and fostering a user-centric approach. Without this mindset, teams risk becoming bottlenecks and failing to meet the demands of larger organizations.