The bottom line: Datadog has launched Temper as a structural platform to equip agents with the precise tools, metrics and safety mechanisms required for autonomous management of critical systems.
Datadog uses Claude Code for two-thirds of its AI-driven software development and has developed “Temper” — a system that enables agents to safely and reproducibly build and operate system components and databases.
At Datadog, engineers employ Claude Code for production code and use the solution for various task categories: targeted changes such as bug fixes and performance optimizations, comprehensive refactorings (for example, converting a custom Protobuf parser in three days or migrating FoundationDB to Postgres in under three months), replacement of major system components (new sharding algorithms, autoscaling redesigns), and complete new developments (MongoDB replacement with Postgres, BYOC control plane, ingestion pipelines).
As agent work became increasingly complex, the engineer’s role fundamentally shifted: writing code itself is no longer the focus, but rather defining the framework conditions for agents — their visibility, available tools, success criteria and error detection. As Sesh Nalla, VP of Engineering at Datadog, describes it, engineers effectively take on higher-level management tasks that shift their original role. Problems particularly arise during longer agent sessions (sometimes lasting days or weeks): each agent invents its own tools, glue code and conventions, which increases utility but widens the gap between agent execution and human-designed tools.
Temper is Datadog’s answer to this challenge and works on the model of machine tools in manufacturing — fixtures, jigs, measuring instruments and milling machines that produce precise, reproducible parts that are later integrated into complex systems such as engines, aircraft or reactors. Temper provides the minimal core that agents need to operate safely and traceable. For mission-critical systems and databases, this platform enables agents to perform autonomous build processes without compromising controllability or safety.
Source: claude.com · Published 20 July 2026
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