Declarative Device Management Explained. JNL London 2026

With Declarative Device Management, the device decides: an app installs the moment a passcode is set, and stays put even with Wi-Fi off. In this Jamf Nation Live London 2026 session, Scott Mackay and Anthony Darlow ask a simple question — can you manage Apple devices with only DDM, no traditional MDM? Going deep under the hood of Blueprints, they cover all four declaration types (configurations, activations, management and assets) and the status channel that ties them together, with live demos on iPad and Mac that prove the logic runs on the device, not the server. CHAPTERS: 0:00 Introduction: Can You Manage Devices With Only DDM? 2:24 The Problem Statement and the Traditional MDM Approach 4:00 Why DDM Is Different: On-Device Autonomy 5:12 Configurations: XML vs JSON (the Passcode Example) 7:37 The Four Declaration Types 8:29 Activations: Giving the Device Its Own Logic 11:10 Activation Example: Teacher and Mac-Only Predicates 12:16 New in Blueprints: The Activation Section (Coming Soon) 13:12 The Status Channel: How the Device Re-Evaluates 16:34 Management: Static Data, Device Groups and Exclusions 18:56 Combining DDM, Identity and Asset Data on the Device 19:52 Live Demo: Passcode-Triggered App Install — Offline 25:08 Custom Declarations and Raw Predicates in Blueprints 27:12 Why DDM on a Mac? 28:48 Assets: Pulling Scripts, Certificates and Launch Agents 30:15 Live Demo: Blocking USB With a Tamper-Proof Asset 34:42 Per-Serial USB Exceptions With Management 36:41 The Four Declaration Types, Recapped 38:34 Q&A: No Binary — Managed by the Jamf Platform Who This Video Is For: Mac Admins and Apple admins moving from traditional MDM to Declarative Device Management IT teams using or evaluating Jamf Blueprints and the Jamf platform Admins who want on-device, offline-capable logic and faster workflows for iPhone, iPad and Mac Anyone learning configurations, activations, management, assets and the DDM status channel #MacAdmin #AppleMDM #Jamf #DeviceManagement #EnterpriseIT