In our research, we employed Likert scales to capture developers' opinions, from 1 to 5 stars, on the maturity and usefulness of the various multicluster application management and batch computing technologies surveyed. While these ratings are inherently subjective, reflecting individual perceptions and experiences, they provide valuable insights into the developer community's views. The nature of our research is centered on investigating developer perceptions of these aspects, making the subjective nature of the ratings not only acceptable but also valuable for our analysis. Although the subjective nature of Likert scales may influence the interpretation of results, as different respondents may have varying standards for rating, this variability enriches our understanding of the developer experience.

Despite these nuances, analyzing the distribution of ratings – such as the difference between the number of 5-star ratings and those of 1 and 2 stars – serves as a practical measure for understanding developer sentiments. This approach allows us to identify trends and patterns that can inform decision-making, highlighting areas of strength and opportunities for improvement within the surveyed technologies. Thus, we assert that Likert scales are an effective tool for gauging developer perceptions and experiences.

Respondents were initially asked about where their projects ran or were deployed, to identify their position as a ‘cloud developer.’ Following this, they were asked which technologies they were currently using that we associate with cloud native development approaches, including technologies such as Infrastructure as Code, service meshes, and serverless computing.

Respondents were recruited from third-party panels. For privacy and data minimization purposes, exclusion is based on internal consistency and survey-taking behavior metrics. As such, information on the organization the respondent works for is not carried through to any analysis. This privacy also helps encourage greater honesty from respondents, who do not have concerns that their expressed opinions will be associated with them.