# Plan an IDP Golden Path

An Internal Developer Platform golden path is the default way to create and ship a service — template, scorecard, self-service.

## Why it matters

Without a paved road, every team invents CI, Helm, and ownership differently. Scorecards make the path enforceable without ticket farming.

## Ticket focus

1. Five-part service template layout
2. Required vs optional scorecard
3. Self-service scaffold → PR → review

## Tip codes

- `PAVED_ROAD` — template is default; exceptions need an ADR
- `TEMPLATE_FIVE` — source, build, deploy, CI, docs
- `SCORECARD_GATE` — required checks block the paved road
- `SELF_SERVE` — scaffold → PR → review