Micro frontends

Published on: Jan 02, 2023

Micro frontends: Microservices for the Frontend 

We made micro frontends the default method for dividing up the creation and delivery of UX components. The advantages of using microservices architecture are not fully realized if there is a monolithic single-page application in which all data must be created by a single team. So, with the micro frontends, component decoupling is being taken to the next level. A single team will own the micro frontend components, APIs, and microservices if done correctly.  

The APIs from single-page apps are one of the most challenging patterns to modify; currently, they can only be called by a particular team that controls the micro frontend component. The practical impact of this policy is that the application does not aggregate data by contacting several APIs. As a result, the only method to transfer data back and forth in the application is through parameters via DOM events. 

Micro frontends and the architectural principles outlined above are a lot of work. As a result, there must be significant advantages to establishing micro frontends, not just from a technological standpoint but also from a governance one. In extensive systems where these micro frontends may be utilized in several applications, the rationale is apparent and palpable (or embedded in more than one page).  

It is accomplishing complete verticalisation of the application architecture to dissolve dependencies and monolithic architecture. Each team may operate alone and autonomously with their company owner. The company and its employees may control the whole stack, including the user interface, APIs, and microservices’ backend components.  

So, combined with micro frontends, microservices may help reverse Conway’s Law, which says, “Organisations, who build systems, are forced to develop designs which are replicas of the communication structure.” Adopting both results in the ultimate verticalization of the architecture and the organization and the most end-to-end independence for teams to achieve business agility.