Best 5 Micro Front-end Frameworks Every Developer Should Know
In today’s dynamic landscape of web development, the demand for scalable, agile and maintainable solutions has never been more pressing. As web applications grow in complexity and scale, the traditional monolithic architecture struggles to keep pace with its evolving needs. This results in many bottlenecks in deployment and dealing with a maze of tangled code which can be challenging to navigate and update.
Just like we advanced from monolithic backend structures to microservices, a similar paradigm shift is being witnessed for frontend development, where the monoliths are being broken down to ‘Micro Frontends’ that are more manageable and smaller in size. Doing so, allows developers to handle each piece separately with greater efficiency, agility and flexibility.
This approach brings a much-needed structure, while simplifying complex processes of a web application, encouraging better collaboration between teams. For navigating this promising landscape, developers need to familiarize themselves with essential frameworks that make it easier to implement micro-frontends.
Today we will be discussing some of the top Microfrontend frameworks every developer should know in 2024, talk about the benefits and challenges of Microfrontend frameworks, their use cases and other such important aspects to guide you on your journey towards this new paradigm shift.
Understanding Microfrontends in Depth
Before we move on to the Microfrontend frameworks, lets define what a Microfrontend is and entails. Micro frontends adopt the principles of microservices and apply them to the frontend layer of web applications. Instead of building a single monolithic frontend instance, developers can create smaller, self-contained frontend modules that can be developed, deployed and scaled independently.
These frontend modules can be composed together for forming a cohesive, scalable, intuitive and performance-oriented app. Understanding the functioning on microfrontends can be difficult coming from a monolithic mindset, and hence there are many Micro Frontend Architecture 101 guides that can help you get started.
What are Microfrontend Frameworks? Why are they important?
Microfrontend frameworks are tools and libraries designed for facilitating the development, integration and deployment of microfrontends. These frameworks have all the necessary tools, patterns and conventions to build modular, scalable and maintainable web applications with independent frontend modules. They play a vital role in enabling teams to adopt a micro-frontend approach effectively and reap all the benefits of this paradigm shift. As per a study by The Software House — State of Frontend 2022, microfrontend frameworks that were mainly found to be used were — Single SPA, Web Components, Module Federation and more.
Reasons behind the importance of Microfrontend Frameworks –
· Modularity and Scalability: Microfrontend frameworks encourage developers to break-down monolithic frontend applications to smaller, more manageable modules. When you modularize the frontend, your teams can scale their applications more efficiently, as individual modules can be developed, deployed scaled independently.
· Flexibility and Technology Diversity: Microfrontend frameworks supports the integration of different frontend technologies and frameworks within a single application. This flexibility allows teams to leverage different tools and frameworks as per their preferences, promoting developer satisfaction and productivity.
· Autonomy and Team Collaboration: Microfrontend frameworks also promote autonomy among development teams, enabling them to work on and deploy their microfrontends independently. This reduces development cycle times, coordination overhead and encourage
· Consistency and Reusability: Microfrontend frameworks encourage developers to follow consistent patterns and follow frontend development best practices leading to improved code quality, reusability and maintainability. Component and functionalities can be shared across different microfrontends, reducing duplication and promoting consistency.
· Scalable Architecture: By adopting an architecture provided by a micro-frontend framework, teams are able to create scalable and flexible architecture for their frontend modules that can change as per the dynamic requirements and user needs. Microfrontend frameworks provide the necessary infrastructure and tooling for supporting growth and evolution of applications over time.
· Better Team Productivity and Collaboration: Microfrontend frameworks allows teams to work on different features in an isolated environment, improving productivity and avoiding conflicts.
Top Microfrontend Frameworks in 2024
Now that we understand the relevance of microfrontends in redefining how we think about frontend development, and the contribution of micro-frontend frameworks for leveraging the maximum potential of microfrontends, let’s look at some of the best ones that every developer should know/try out for their next project –
1. Bit.Cloud
Bit transcends the idea of a typical framework by offering a complete solution for micro-frontend development lifecycle. It excels at managing and building microfrontends from independent components. Since microfrontends are component centric, Bit’s approach allows developers to efficiently create and foster reusable components across the project. It also has an impressive CI/CD process, designed towards component-driven development within microfrontend architectures.
Bit.Cloud Unique Features
· Cloud-Based Component Sharing
· Version Control and Dependency Management
· Integrated CI/CD Pipelines
· Scalable and Secure
Key Considerations when choosing Bit.Cloud
· Dependency on cloud services may raise concerns about data privacy, uptime and vendor lock-in
· Steep learning curve, developers might need time settling into the platform and workflow, especially transitioning from traditional component management
· Varying costs depending on usage & storage requirements, can be confusing to pick the right plan in your budget
· Integration in existing systems can be complicated without proper coordination between team members
2. Module Federation (Webpack 5)
If your team is familiar with the webpack ecosystem, you are in luck. You won’t need to learn a new framework for leveraging microfrontend architecture. Webpack 5 comes with built-in Module Federation functionality that allows you to create microservices with minimal co-dependency between them. This approach is ideal for teams looking for a simple and familiar way for adopting microfrontends without having to introduce an entirely new toolset.
Module Federation Unique Features
· Dynamic Module Loading enhances flexibility and runtime
· Isolated Microfrontends allows for sharing code between apps when maintaining isolation
· Scalability and Performance through efficient code splitting and loading mechanisms, minimizing conflicts and dependencies
· Webpack Integrations helps make the process easier for existing Webpack users
Key Considerations when choosing Module Federation
· Complex configuration and deep understanding of module bundling concepts
· Dynamic module loading at runtime can add additional overheads to initial loading times
· Ensuring compatibility between microfrontend modules and shared dependencies across applications is crucial
· Debugging issues and optimizing performance in Module Federation may require specialized tooling and techniques
3. Luigi
For large enterprises that have challenging requirements, Luigi is a capable microfrontend framework that can provide enterprise-ready approach towards implementing microfrontends. It is designed for providing modular, scalable and consistent user interface. Luigi follows a declarative UI composition approach where the microfrontends specify their dependencies and Luigi handles the resolution and loading of those dependencies.
Luigi Unique Features
· Creation of complex user interfaces through self-contained compositions
· Structured approach to frontend development
· Flexibility in architecture allowing customization & extensibility
· Backed by Spotify and an active open-source community
Key Considerations when choosing Luigi
· Requires investment of time and efforts in learning Luigi’s concepts and conventions
· Creating and managing complex UIs can be complicated at first
· Integrating in existing ecosystems may require team effort and coordination
· Luigi has great community support but is limited when it comes to documentation and resources
4. Piral
For developers who prioritize smooth and efficient workflow, Piral stands out as a developer-centric framework. It puts a strong emphasis on enhancing the development experience with features like a visual UI editor, live previews, and hot module replacement. Piral is ideal for teams wanting to accelerate their development process and simplify the process of creating and maintaining microfrontends.
Piral Unique Features
· Emphasis on flexibility and extensibility
· Modular architecture for composing multiple microfrontend applications into a unified experience
· Growing ecosystem of community plugins and extensions
· Lightweight and performant, minimizing overhead for speed and efficiency
Key Considerations when choosing Piral
· Adopting Piral requires familiarity with its concepts and ecosystem
· The size and maturity of the framework might be smaller to more established frameworks
· Tools and integration support can be a little bumpy to set up and get used to
· Consider long term maintenance support and sustainability since it is still an emerging technology
5. Single-SPA Framework
Single SPA or Single Page Application is an ideal framework for projects that require a stable foundation and a helping hand. It is a mature microfrontend framework that has a well-established community. Single SPA comes with rich features such as routing, lifecycle management and more. Its extensive functionality makes it an ideal choice for microfrontend architectures that are complex in nature and value the support of a large and active community.
Single SPA Unique Features
· Enables development of multiple frontend applications that can coexist within a single page or application shell
· Allows independent development, testing and deployment of individual modules
· Centralized approach to managing lifecycle of frontend applications
· Flexible routing navigation mechanisms enabling developers to handle navigation b/w microfrontends
· Single SPA is designed to work with various frontend frameworks and libraries like React, Angular and Vue.
Key Considerations when choosing Single SPA
· Setting up Single SPA for a project can come with its learning curve
· Managing dependencies and ensuring compatibility between microfrontends can be difficulty
· Single SPA enables efficient code sharing, however improper implementation can lead to increased initial load times
· Debugging and testing may require access to specialized tools and techniques
Final Words
These are the emerging microfrontend frameworks that are the forerunners of the new age of microfrontends that will help companies boost their frontend experience and increase customer retention significantly. Make sure to choose the best microservice framework that complements your project needs the most.
