MACH Architecture 101

In our digital world, we see business technology evolving at warp speed so much so that it may even feel like some tools get outdated almost as soon as companies implement them.

According to Gartner, one key technology trend for the year 2021 will see “multi-experience, customer experience, employee experience, and user experience” combined into a total experience that is meant to transform business outcomes.

But, to actually drive on the express lane of these transforming outcomes, technology needs to break free from the shackles of rigidity and become capable of meeting changing consumer demands.

Enter – MACH – that stands for Microservices, API-First, Cloud-Native, and Headless.

MACH is the new kid on the block and has swiftly become a part of software design and marketing lingo. It is modular, scalable, and agile enough to evolve with changing expectations and deliver digital experiences, which make it the talk of the town.

In this blog post, we’ll cover the what’s what of MACH architecture. So, let’s begin!

What is MACH?

The term MACH was coined by a group of modern tech companies in 2019. MACH is a set of architectural design principles that enable organizations to build modular software that is agile, customer-centric, and future-proof.

Let’s take a look into what each MACH feature means when it comes to business technology.

Microservices

Microservices architecture consists of a collection of small services that build an application. Simply put, these individual functions of an application are independently developed, deployed, and managed. And since these functions are independent, failure or errors in a particular function won’t bring down your whole application, making it more resilient. This approach helps your team to work simultaneously on independent functions enabling you to bring products to market much quicker.

For instance, eBay uses microservices and their core application comprises several independent applications, each one of which executes logic for different function areas.

API-First

In a code-first approach, different parts of an application’s functionality are built first which might lead to some functionalities restricting others, whereas, in an API-first solution, you can start with planning, designing, and testing APIs first. API ties together two or more applications and can exchange data faster and in a structured way. For instance, Netflix has an API-first approach, they distribute their API development so that each client application team can implement and operate their own endpoints.

Cloud-Native SaaS

In cloud-native SaaS, the software development and delivery are entirely cloud-based, built for high performance, and have automatic scalability. cloud-native SaaS technology can be auto-scaled to support traffic demands and meet your growth demands all the while keeping your infrastructural costs low.

Headless

Headless separates the front end and back end of an application. Being headless allows you to deploy multiple frontend experiences across any channel or device. Since changes to your backend are independent of your frontend, you gain the flexibility to scale your business easily. This enables your brand to connect with customers at any touchpoint, no matter where they are in their customer journey. For instance, Feelunique, turned to headless commerce. One key feature they implemented was a product search bar that allows shoppers to find products from over 500 different brands.

The combination of these four strategies works together perfectly to enable brands to embrace flexibility and faster time-to-market giving brands supersonic speed.

Why is Monolith Architecture a Thing of the Past?

Monolithic architecture is a unified model for the design of a software program. Gone are the days when Monolith architectures were the only option for businesses. Businesses had to constantly update and maintain these increasingly complicated structures. According to a report, 64% of businesses said that the need to upgrade outdated infrastructure is the reason for increasing their IT budgets in 2020.

Although in some ways, monoliths are simpler as all necessary components are contained in a single system. However, many brands have experienced challenges and issues with these all-in-one structures, as customizations can lead to complications.

Also, you can’t quickly implement changes to meet new trends and expectations. High dependency leads to a higher risk of failure because when one piece of the puzzle doesn’t fit, it can bring down the entire system.

Why is MACH the Way to Go?

Now that we know about MACH, let’s take a look at the benefits that MACH architecture brings.

• MACH technologies are scalable, replaceable, and can be improved to meet evolving business requirements.
• Bid adieu to being handcuffed by outdated technology and the inability to innovate and evolve.
• With this agile architecture, you get a faster route to market and faster processes save time and money.
• Ditch the woes about disruptive upgrades because, with MACH architecture, all releases are automatic.
• The ability to constantly change and innovate to deliver better digital customer experiences is a key pillar of MACH architecture.

MACH is transforming the business world left, right, and center so much so that it is no longer limited to the world of eCommerce. It can help level up your brand’s digital presence and improve your end-user experience. So, if you are looking to deliver exceptional digital experiences to your customers and remain ever-ready, MACH is the way to go!

Wish to transform the way your customers interact with your brand? If so, talk to us.