Modale federation & MFEs
Tags: webpack, javascript, microfrontends, react
Published: 2023-04-03 12:48:40

Modale federation and micro front-ends are two architectural concepts that have gained a lot of attention in the software development world over the past few years. Modale federation is the practice of breaking down a frontend application into smaller, independent modules or “micro-apps” that can be developed and deployed separately, while micro front-ends is the approach of building a frontend application as a collection of loosely-coupled, independently-deployable components.

While these two concepts are often seen as competing approaches, they can actually be used together to create a more robust and flexible frontend architecture. In this article, we’ll explore how you can use modale federation within a micro front-end architecture to build highly scalable and maintainable applications.

Defining Modale Federation and Micro Front-Ends
Before we dive into how to combine these two concepts, let’s first define what they are and how they work.

**Modale Federation:** Modale federation is a way of breaking down a frontend application into smaller, independent modules or micro-apps. Each micro-app is responsible for a specific part of the application’s functionality, and they can be developed and deployed separately from one another. The overall application is then assembled from these micro-apps using a central “shell” application that provides common services like routing and authentication.

**Micro Front-Ends:** Micro front-ends is an architectural approach that involves breaking down a frontend application into a collection of loosely-coupled, independently-deployable components. Each component is responsible for a specific part of the application’s functionality, and they can be developed and deployed independently of one another. The overall application is then assembled from these components using a framework like React or Angular.

Combining Modale Federation and Micro Front-Ends
Now that we have defined what modale federation and micro front-ends are, let’s look at how they can be combined to create a more flexible and scalable frontend architecture.

*Step 1: Break Down the Application into Micro-Apps*

The first step is to break down the application into micro-apps. Each micro-app should be responsible for a specific part of the application’s functionality, such as the user interface, data management, or authentication.

*Step 2: Define the Interfaces Between the Micro-Apps*

Once you have defined the micro-apps, you need to define the interfaces between them. This will allow the micro-apps to communicate with one another and work together seamlessly. The interfaces should define the data that each micro-app requires from the others, as well as any events that they need to send or receive.

*Step 3: Implement the Micro-Apps Using Micro Front-Ends*

Once you have defined the micro-apps and their interfaces, you can implement them using a micro front-end framework like React or Angular. Each micro-app should be developed as a separate component that can be deployed independently of the others.

*Step 4: Assemble the Application Using a Central Shell*

Finally, you can assemble the application using a central shell that provides common services like routing and authentication. The shell should use modale federation to integrate the micro-apps and provide a unified user experience.

## Benefits of Combining Modale Federation and Micro Front-Ends

Combining modale federation and micro front-ends can provide several benefits, including:

- Increased flexibility: By breaking the application down into micro-apps and defining their interfaces, you can create a more flexible architecture that can adapt to changing requirements.
- Better scalability: Because each micro-app can be developed and deployed independently, you can scale individual parts of the application as needed without affecting the rest of the application.
- Improved maintainability: By breaking the application down into smaller, more manageable pieces, you can improve maintainability and reduce the risk of introducing bugs or other issues.
- Creating Customizable Multi-Tiered Products with Modale Federation and Micro Front-Ends
- In addition to the benefits of using modale federation and micro front-ends for building scalable and maintainable applications, this architecture is also well-suited for creating multi-tier products where customers have varying levels of access to the application depending on their tier.

By breaking down the application into micro-apps, each with a specific responsibility, it becomes easier to control access to certain features based on a customer’s tier level. For example, a basic tier customer may have access to a limited set of features, while a premium tier customer may have access to more advanced features and functionality.

Using a central shell to assemble the application allows for seamless integration of these micro-apps and the ability to customize the user experience based on a customer’s tier level. For example, the shell can be designed to present different UI components or menus to different tiers of customers based on their access level.

### Conclusion

Modale federation and micro front-ends are two architectural concepts that can be used together to create a powerful frontend architecture. By using modale federation to break down the application into micro-apps and micro front-ends to implement them, you can create a highly flexible and scalable frontend that is easier to maintain and update over time.

Overall, combining these two concepts requires careful planning and implementation, but the benefits can be significant. With the right approach, you can create a frontend architecture that is both highly functional and highly maintainable, allowing you to deliver better user experiences and drive greater business value.

_written with the help of the amazing chat gpt_