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January 27 2025
Today’s businesses are leaning more toward composable design. As Gartner highlights, companies are increasingly adopting modular structures, enabling them to easily swap out outdated products or technologies that no longer fit.
So, what does this mean for SaaS products? This article explains the basics of composable architecture and explores how it can help scale your SaaS business faster.
Composable Architecture Overview
Composable architecture is a fresh approach to software design. In this model, developers create products by combining independent, modular components, much like building with Lego blocks. These reusable “blocks” allow businesses to quickly develop new features or launch products, helping them stay competitive.
Not to be confused with The Composable Architecture (TCA)—a framework for Swift that helps Apple developers build modular, testable apps—we’ll be focusing on composable architecture as a broader trend in software development.
The Key Principles of Composable Architecture
The traditional all-in-one approach to software architecture is becoming outdated. When everything’s packed into a single codebase, even a simple update can lead to time-consuming changes due to code dependencies. Enter MACH—four principles that shape modern enterprise apps by prioritizing flexibility and scalability.
Microservices
Microservices break software into small, independent services—like authentication or search—which you can develop, deploy, and scale separately. This allows developers to modify or expand individual features without affecting the entire application.
API-First Approach
In API-first development, the API is designed first, even before the user interface. This means that functionality is set up and documented through the API, making it easier to build unified user experiences since each component’s role is clearly defined.
Cloud-Based Development
Cloud-native apps are designed specifically for the cloud, meaning they’re highly scalable and flexible. Whether public, private, or hybrid cloud-based, these apps can adapt and update automatically, making them easier to manage.
Headless
In a headless setup, the front end is separate from the back end. So, no matter the programming language or framework, the way content is presented can be tailored for different devices and use cases.
How Composable Architecture Can Transform Your Business
By building applications with modular components, organizations save significant time on development and maintenance. From an engineering perspective, composable architecture offers numerous benefits:
Adaptability
With modular components, developers can easily modify or replace specific parts without needing to overhaul the entire system.
Scalability
The app can grow through small, manageable building blocks rather than a complex monolithic structure.
Seamless Testing
Testing individual components is faster and more manageable, simplifying debugging and state management.
Quality User Experience
Consistent, tailored experiences across platforms become easier to deliver.
Minimal Dependencies
Reduces the risks associated with system updates or changes by isolating components.
Quick Development & Time-To-Market
Reusable components help speed up development, reducing time-to-market.
Cost Efficiency
Resource optimization is possible by scaling only essential components, benefiting both engineering and go-to-market teams.
Redefine SaaS with Modular Design.
Achieve agility, scalability, and faster time-to-market.
Understanding the Roadblocks in Composable Architecture
While composable architecture has clear advantages, it comes with some challenges to keep in mind:
Complexity
Managing multiple independent components can complicate deployment, monitoring, and overall management.
Integrations
Components must integrate smoothly for optimal user experience; poor integration can cause issues.
Connectivity
Reliable connectivity is essential to ensure seamless communication between modules.
Learning Curve
Adapting to the modular approach requires learning new technologies and tools, which may take time.
Proven Applications of Composable Architecture in the Real World
Shopify
Shopify’s composable architecture powers a flexible, customizable e-commerce platform. By leveraging microservices and APIs, Shopify enables merchants to personalize their stores with modular components like payment gateways, inventory systems, and analytics tools. This setup allows Shopify to continually introduce new features and integrate third-party services, providing merchants complete control over their tech stack with robust scalability.
Netflix
To support its massive user base, Netflix employs a composable architecture. Using microservices, each focused on a different feature—such as user authentication, content recommendations, or video streaming—Netflix can optimize and scale components independently. This approach allows Netflix to roll out updates quickly, enhancing the user experience without disrupting the platform, ensuring it can handle high global demand with ease.
Spotify
Spotify’s composable architecture allows for a tailored music streaming experience. Key features—like recommendations, playlists, and real-time streaming—operate independently, enabling Spotify to launch new options (e.g., personalized playlists) without impacting other functions. This modular design improves scalability and provides a consistent experience across various devices, supporting Spotify’s agile product development and a robust backend.
Peloton
Peloton relies on composable architecture for a seamless, personalized fitness experience. Integrating APIs and microservices, Peloton modularizes its platform into parts like live streaming, user profiles, and leaderboards. This setup allows the company to release new features and update components without affecting the entire system, ensuring scalability and flexibility as users’ needs grow.
Current Implications of Composable Architecture in Tech
As SaaS technology advances, composable architecture is shaping how companies develop and deploy software. Open-source platforms, such as GitHub, now provide developers access to countless projects that can reduce development time. Tools like SwiftUI, which enable responsive, cross-device interfaces, are increasingly popular for delivering seamless customer experiences essential for modern SaaS applications.
For SaaS products, ensuring efficient business logic is critical for maintaining smooth performance and concurrency. A common approach in Swift-based applications is the reducer pattern, where actions and state changes are clearly defined, which improves maintainability. This is often coupled with observable objects, helping track real-time updates within the app’s struct-based models.
Additionally, using dynamic data structures, like enums, can make conditional logic easier to manage, adding to the codebase’s scalability. Sharing these components on GitHub or similar repositories enhances team collaboration, keeping application frameworks flexible and future-proof.
In a digital-first world, platforms like LinkedIn foster SaaS development communities, helping professionals connect over open-source projects and exchange best practices for efficient software development.
Conclusion
For SaaS builders, composable architecture accelerates product development, cutting down what once took months into days with ready-to-use components. For example, integrating advanced analytics can be straightforward with tools can help you seamlessly integrate components in your tech stack. Reach out to product development experts to learn more.
