Micro Frontend Architecture

Micro frontend architecture is an approach to building web applications as a collection of small, self-contained frontend modules each responsible for a specific part of the user interface. These micro frontends can be developed, tested, and deployed independently, allowing for greater flexibility, scalability, and maintainability in large and complex web applications.

The architecture of Micro Frontends typically revolves around the following key components:

• Module Composition: Micro Frontends are a combination of multiple independent modules, each representing a different feature or functionality. These modules can be developed using different technologies, frameworks, or languages.

• Integration Layer: An integration layer is responsible for combining individual modules into a symmetric user interface. This layer can be implemented using various techniques such as server-side composition, client-side composition, or edge-side composition.

• Routing and Navigation: Since Micro Frontends consist of multiple independently deployable modules, routing and navigation between modules must be carefully handled. This can be achieved using techniques like URL routing, event-based communication, or centralized routing services.

• Communication: Modules within a Micro Frontends architecture often need to communicate with each other to exchange data or trigger actions. This communication can be established using techniques like pub-sub messaging, shared state management, or RESTful APIs.

• Deployment and Orchestration: Each module in a Micro Frontends architecture can be deployed independently, allowing teams to release updates or new features without disrupting the entire application. Orchestration tools like Kubernetes or Docker Swarm can be used to manage and scale these deployments efficiently.

Characteristics of Micro Frontend Architecture

• Modularity: Micro frontend architecture divides the user interface into more manageable, smaller components, which encourages modularity, Because each micro frontend concentrates on a certain function, page, or area of the application, it is simpler to comprehend, create, and manage.

• Independent Development: Teams can work autonomously on different micro frontends, using their preferred technologies, frameworks, and development practices. This independence enables faster development cycles, as teams are not blocked by dependencies on other teams or components.

• Scalability: Micro frontend architecture scales well with the growth of the application and the team. New features or sections can be added as independent micro frontends, without affecting the rest of the application. This allows for better organization and management of the codebase, particularly in large and complex applications.

• Reuse and Composition: Micro frontends can be reused across multiple pages or applications, promoting code reuse and consistency in the user interface. Additionally, micro frontends can be composed together to create complex layouts or workflows, providing flexibility in designing the user experience.

• Isolation and Fault Tolerance: Failures in one micro frontend are isolated from others, minimizing the impact on the overall application. This fault isolation enhances system reliability and resilience, as errors or bugs are contained within the affected micro frontend.

• Flexibility in Deployment: Micro frontends can be deployed independently, allowing for more granular updates and rollbacks. This enables continuous delivery practices, as changes to one micro frontend can be released without affecting others.

• Improved Performance: Micro frontend architecture can improve performance by enabling lazy loading of components or pages. Only the necessary micro frontends are loaded initially, reducing the initial page load time and improving the overall user experience.

• Team Autonomy and Ownership: Each micro frontend is owned by a specific team or individual, clarifying ownership and responsibility for that part of the user interface. This fosters accountability and empowers teams to make decisions and drive improvements autonomously.

Micro front-end refers to a design pattern in software architecture where the user interface (UI) of a web application is broken down into smaller parts for more manageable parts known as micro front-ends. Each micro frontend is a self-contained module and is responsible for rendering a specific section of the overall user interface.

The concept of micro frontend comes from microservice architecture. Basically, Microservice is an architecture in which an application is decomposed into small independent services that can be worked independently and combined with a fully working service by combining all the services. Let’s understand it in more detail before knowing What is Micro Frontends.