Build Abstractions Not Illusions - Creating Effective Platforms for Complex Systems

Explore the nuances of building complex distributed systems in this 48-minute conference talk from YOW! Australia 2023. Delve into the critical distinction between useful abstractions and dangerous illusions in platform design. Learn how to create effective abstractions that enhance productivity and reduce cognitive load without compromising system integrity. Examine real-world examples from two decades of distributed systems development, highlighting successful abstraction strategies and common pitfalls. Gain insights into platform abstraction, composition techniques, and the challenges of distributed system abstractions. Discover practical approaches to balancing complexity and simplicity in software architecture, and understand how to avoid the trap of oversimplification. Perfect for software architects, platform designers, and developers working on large-scale distributed systems.

Intro
Platform abstraction
Abstractions vs composition
Abstractions vs Illusions
Distributed system abstractions
Summary
Outro