- Micro-frontend architecture shifts to federated modules
- Challenges with monolithic systems and micro-frontend independence
- Implementation of a central but lean frontend orchestrator
- Use of NX monorepo for code generation and independence
- Importance of real use cases and organizational adaptability
Micro-frontends have become a transformative approach in software development, especially when dealing with large-scale applications owned by multiple teams. The evolution from monolithic systems to federated micro-frontends offers a compelling narrative of adaptation and improvement.
In the early stages, Personio's frontend architecture was a typical PHP monolith. This approach, while initially effective, became cumbersome as the application grew. The monolithic system handled everything, from requests to rendering, leading to inefficiencies like long deployment times.
The shift to micro-frontends arose out of necessity. This model allowed for separate applications housed in different repositories, all under a single React framework. Although this granted independence to teams, it introduced challenges in sharing state and dependencies, requiring considerable coordination.
The next step in this evolution was the federated micro-frontend setup. This approach retained team independence while overcoming previous limitations. The architecture utilized an NX monorepo, exposing micro-frontends as federated modules managed by a central frontend orchestrator. This orchestrator acts as a router and a host for the modules, ensuring a seamless integration and rendering process.
Federation in this context allows modules to be consumed at runtime, permitting independent releases without needing to rebuild the main host, thus maintaining the autonomy of development teams.
The implementation of this system required the development of standards and the use of NX for generating code. Each micro-frontend within the monorepo exposes an integration library, which is consumed by the orchestrator, enabling a single runtime environment. This setup optimizes resource usage and enhances application performance.
With this structure, shared libraries and tooling within the monorepo facilitate integration and ensure that common dependencies are loaded only once. This reduces redundancy and improves web vitals significantly.
Real-world use cases proved crucial in this transition. Deploying new systems quickly in production, albeit initially on less critical pages, helps identify and resolve issues early. This approach prevents the risks associated with deploying on heavily trafficked areas without prior testing.
Organizational adaptability also plays a pivotal role in successfully implementing such systems. Attempting to shift organizational structures to fit new systems without a well-thought-out strategy can lead to inefficiencies. Clear ownership and responsibility for critical infrastructure are essential.
Early adopters provide invaluable feedback, highlighting both effective and ineffective elements of the system. Their insights are crucial for iterative improvements.
Considering a federated micro-frontend architecture is beneficial for organizations facing similar challenges. Multiple teams requiring independent, on-demand releases, a need to replace outdated delivery mechanisms, and prior experience with distributed frontend systems all indicate suitability for this approach.
