The nervous system has an impressive capability of homeostatically maintaining function in the face of various challenges. The developmental period for the construction of neural circuits is highly dynamic and presents dramatic challenges to circuit activity as cells increase in size, synaptic connections are added and removed, and GABAergic transmission transitions from excitatory to inhibitory in the mature system. Several different homeostatic mechanisms exist to ensure that the system can maintain an appropriate level of activity. For instance when activity levels are inhibited increases in excitatory synaptic strength and intrinsic membrane excitability are observed. I will be discussing different homeostatic mechanisms in different systems to understand how this process shapes the maturation of network excitability. I will also discuss the relevance of homeostatic plasticity in neurodevelopmental disorders where altered levels of excitability are observed, such as autism.