In an era where speed and scale define success, the debate between build vs. buy has taken on a new urgency. At Prodacity, DJ Angelini, Senior Architect at Palantir, made a compelling case for commercial platforms as the key to accelerating software delivery—particularly in government tech. The takeaway? DIY tooling is no longer a competitive advantage. The real innovation comes from leveraging platforms that remove complexity and enable developers to focus on mission-critical functionality.
Beyond APIs: The New Definition of Interoperability
Modern software delivery isn’t just about whether platforms have RESTful APIs—it’s about whether everything works cohesively across vendors, architectures, and operational environments. In the federal space, this is especially critical, as multi-vendor, multi-capability sprint-based approaches define how projects are executed.
Angelini emphasized that large-scale microservice architectures are only as fast as their slowest shipper. A single delay in delivery from one vendor impacts the entire ecosystem. The underlying technology is what matters most, not just the documentation of requirements. Developers don’t need more paperwork—they need faster production releases.
Industry Implications:
- Siloed platforms create bottlenecks. Interoperability must go beyond APIs and consider how features are deployed, updated, and delivered across teams.
- Government software delivery is becoming more dynamic. Agencies are adopting sprint-based development cycles, making agile, commercially-supported platforms essential.
Feedback Loops and Competitive Pressure Drive Better Software
One of the most compelling insights from Angelini’s session was the role of competition in improving product development. Unlike in traditional government contracts, where feedback loops can be slow, commercial platforms operate in highly competitive markets where user expectations are immediate and uncompromising.
At Palantir, the first rounds of customer feedback were brutal, but that honesty was essential to making the product better every week. The best software is built under pressure, and competition fuels faster iteration cycles and continuous improvement.
Key Takeaways for Developers:
- No tougher customer than your competition. Immediate, honest feedback is critical to iterating faster and improving software in real time.
- Product-driven R&D is the future. Amazon was the most demanding customer for AWS, and Spotify for Backstage—commercial platforms must meet their own high internal standards before external customers benefit.
Mission Software Requires Opinionated Infrastructure
One of the most interesting themes from Angelini’s discussion was the role of infrastructure as mission software. The misconception that buying commercial platforms means losing control is outdated. In fact, the opposite is often true—commercial platforms must prioritize transparency, control, and compliance to succeed in competitive environments.
Palantir’s approach to infrastructure is clear: abstract away the complexity and let developers focus on functional components that drive mission success. Infrastructure is not an afterthought—it is the enabler.
Internal R&D as a Force Multiplier
A powerful example of platform-led innovation came from Palantir’s internal work on AI and GenAI configurations. Initially, their team focused on optimizing GPU usage for internal development. Within a month, an external customer requested a similar capability—but instead of building a new feature from scratch, Palantir had already integrated it into their platform.
This unintentional delivery cycle—where internal needs drive external capabilities—creates massive upside. The best platforms don’t just ship features; they evolve organically based on real-world usage.
Analyst Takeaway: The Future is 10x Platforms
The industry is shifting towards 10x platforms—systems that remove inefficiencies, accelerate software delivery, and enable developers to build faster without reinventing the wheel.
Key Implications:
- Developers should focus on functional outcomes, not infrastructure maintenance. A commercial-first approach allows teams to prioritize innovation over system upkeep.
- Buying doesn’t mean losing control—it means gaining scale. The best commercial platforms are built for transparency, compliance, and interoperability—all critical for government tech.
- Internal R&D fuels external success. The most valuable features of modern platforms come from solving real, internal developer challenges, which creates direct benefits for end users.
Final Thought
Software development is no longer about whether you can build something in-house—it’s about whether you should. The best teams aren’t spending their time reinventing infrastructure; they’re using 10x platforms to move faster, iterate smarter, and focus on delivering mission-critical value.
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