Explore why composable websites are becoming so popular amongst B2B organizations.
Website development is undergoing a significant transformation, shifting from traditional, rigid structures to more flexible and efficient approaches. At the forefront of this evolution are composable websites that adopt jamstack architecture and modular design.
Companies embracing composable infrastructure are predicted to outpace their competition by 80%. Gone are the days of needing to build a website from scratch. By 2033, the composable application U.S. market size is expected to grow from $1.81 billion in 2023 to $9.19 billion.
In this article, we’ll explore why composable websites are becoming so popular and how this approach can improve the way your organization creates and manages its online presence.
We'll also highlight the benefits of modular design and provide practical tips for getting started with a composable strategy.
Composable websites are the future of website development, offering incomparable flexibility, scalability, and agility.
Composable architecture is similar to LEGO bricks, breaking down websites into smaller, independent components. Each component can be developed, deployed, and updated independently, enhancing flexibility and efficiency in website management.
Composable systems are replacing the traditional monolithic approach to web development.
Composable websites are becoming increasingly popular thanks to their benefits, including faster time to market, flexibility, speed, cost reduction, omnichannel support, scalability, and enhanced security.
Let’s begin with a plain definition.
Composability is an architectural approach that focuses on the ease of reusing and exchanging interchangeable elements within a broader system.
In the context of websites, it applies to both web development systems and design principles. This method allows developers to create modular components that can be easily combined and integrated, enhancing flexibility, scalability, and efficiency.
In the short term, composability allows you to streamline many of your web operations, including publishing new pages and adding new tools to your tech stack. It also enables faster iteration and testing of new features and reduces the time required for deployment. This ultimately allows for faster time-to-market and the ability to adapt to emerging technologies and industry trends.
In the long term, the composable approach makes it significantly easier to maintain and grow. Larger projects such as CMS migrations become much more feasible. With the LEGO-like structure, you can easily replace or upgrade parts of the website without overhauling the entire system, which minimizes technical debt and extends the lifespan of the site.
While we do not want to get too technical in this article, we think it’s still important to understand the basics of composable architecture and why this approach is so advantageous for websites. So, let’s do a quick review.
Composable architecture is a framework for building websites that segments them into smaller, independent components. These components can be developed, deployed, and updated on their own using various technologies and programming languages.
This setup not only gives more flexibility and scalability but also simplifies updates and maintenance. Developers can work on separate pieces simultaneously without disrupting the entire website, making it easier to manage changes and scale as needed.
This way, new website tools and technologies can seamlessly be added to and removed from your website’s tech stack. You don’t have to deal with the same dependencies or limitations that often arise in a monolithic application.
To achieve this level of flexibility for a website, leveraging the right technologies is essential. These systems typically involve modular components such as a headless CMS, hosting solutions, frontend frameworks, and various tools for added functionality (CRMs, CDPs, analytics, etc). Then, all these pieces are seamlessly connected via APIs.
Composable systems take a modular approach to web development, where the application is broken down into smaller, independent components that can be developed, deployed, and updated separately.
Key Principles of Composable Web Development:
Modularity: Components are divided into small, reusable modules. Headless CMS plays a crucial role in this architecture. It facilitates this by allowing content to be managed in pieces and then reassembled in different ways across various platforms without redesigning the entire system.
Autonomy: Each component maintains its functionality and can operate independently. In a headless CMS setup, components like text blocks, images, and user interfaces can be updated individually without impacting other parts of the system.
Orchestration: Seamless interaction and integration between components are crucial. Headless CMS supports this by providing APIs that allow different components to communicate and function as a cohesive whole, regardless of the front-end technology used.
Discoverability: Components are easily located and utilized within a project. Headless CMS enhances discoverability by organizing content in a structured way, making it easier for developers to find and reuse components across different sections of a website or even across multiple websites.
These principles are fundamental to achieving the flexibility, scalability, and efficiency that composable web development offers. By leveraging a headless CMS, businesses can create adaptive and evolving websites that effectively meet the changing needs of their customers, ensuring a dynamic and future-proof online presence.
As we have mentioned, web development has undergone significant changes over the years, transitioning from the traditional monolithic approach to the more modular and flexible composable systems.
The traditional monolithic approach involved building a single large application that combined the front-end, back-end, and middleware components into a single codebase.
This approach was characterized by:
A single large application that included all components and functionalities.
Tightly coupled codebase that made scalability and code reuse challenging.
Difficulties in maintaining and updating the entire application.
Long development cycles due to the dependencies within the monolithic architecture.
Although the traditional monolithic approach was widely used in the past, it had notable limitations in terms of scalability, maintainability, and adaptability to new requirements.
Developers and businesses started encountering issues as technologies advanced and market demands evolved.
It became evident that a more flexible and modular approach was needed to overcome these limitations and cater to the dynamic nature of web development.
Another key aspect of composable websites is employing composable frontend code (aka the design). The way that pieces of the website are designed and developed has a significant impact on its modularity and scalability.
At Webstacks, we constantly stress the importance of modular design in the era of composability.
Modular web design can be defined as an approach to building websites where the layout and functionality are divided into distinct, reusable components (or “modules”). Again, the LEGO example applies perfectly here. Independent parts can be created, tested, and altered without affecting larger systems. We can define things as small as a button (basic HTML elements), all the way up to more complex components such as the header.
Modular design also goes hand-in-hand with atomic design, which is the methodology our design team follows to build design systems. Ultimately, a modular design allows for reusability of the same the same design elements, which ensures consistency across the website, and allows for pages to be seamlessly built like LEGO bricks.
Traditionally, web design demanded significant technical skills, but the advent of enterprise-grade headless CMS platforms has changed the landscape. By enabling a modular, composable content structure, headless CMS offers enhanced flexibility, faster speeds, and greater collaboration opportunities in web development.
Here are four reasons why modular design empowers marketers:
Headless CMS transforms content management by enabling updates and modifications to be made swiftly and easily, even without deep coding knowledge. This agility allows marketers to quickly adapt to market shifts and evolving customer preferences.
The modular nature of headless CMS lets marketers and content editors effortlessly add, remove, or modify content components, keeping websites dynamic and current.
In marketing, the ability to react quickly and act swiftly is crucial.
Headless CMS aids marketers in meeting the critical need for speed in today’s market. The modular structure of composable websites facilitates rapid changes and updates, allowing for an 80% faster feature implementation compared to traditional methods.
This efficiency reduces development cycles, empowering marketers to swiftly publish fresh content, thus staying competitive and responsive to timely initiatives.
A major advantage of headless CMS in a composable architecture is the ability to create and utilize reusable components across various parts of a website.
Whether it’s text, imagery, or video, modular components allow you to build new, unique web pages in a matter of seconds. Better yet, these new components exist independently, and won’t affect their structure on other pages.
This modularity enables marketers to efficiently create and manage content by leveraging pre-built and tested components. Reusable components not only save time and effort but also ensure a consistent visual identity and coherence in the overall website design and user experience.
The modular design inherent in headless CMS fosters better collaboration among all stakeholders involved in website management, from marketers to developers. Each group can work independently on different components without the need for intensive coordination.
This division of labor leads to smoother workflows, enhanced communication, and more effective content production, culminating in a stronger and more strategic online presence.
So, why is composability the new wave? Well, several advantages to this approach make it a significantly superior alternative to the traditional monolithic approach.
Faster Time to Market: Composable websites offer faster time to market by utilizing modular services that can be developed and deployed independently.
Flexibility: The flexibility of composable websites comes from its modular services, which developers can easily add or remove to adapt to changing requirements enabling businesses to be responsive to evolving customer needs and market demands.
Speed: Composable websites are designed for speed as the modular nature allows for improved performance and faster loading times.
Cost Reduction: The modular and reusable nature of components allows businesses to save on development and maintenance costs because existing modules can be reused, saving time and resources.
Omnichannel: Composable architecture allows businesses to integrate various channels, such as websites, mobile apps, and social media platforms, into a unified and consistent system.
Scalability: Additional components can be easily integrated into composable websites to handle increased traffic, functionality, and data requirements, ensuring the website can grow along with the business.
Security: 4.35 million USD is the average cost of a data breach. Composable websites provide enhanced security measures by implementing individual security measures for each service or module. This approach ensures that any vulnerabilities or breaches are contained within specific components, minimizing the risk to the entire website.
While the modularity and flexibility of composable architecture offer significant advantages, they also introduce certain complexities that developers need to navigate.
Below are some of the key challenges associated with composable websites and strategies for addressing them:
Building a website with multiple modular components adds a layer of complexity because each component has its own function and needs to work seamlessly with others. Coordinating these components and resolving any conflicts that pop up during development can be tricky.
The key to managing this complexity effectively is to have solid documentation and standardization practices in place. Creating detailed guides and following standardized protocols helps streamline the integration of different components, ensuring they work well together.
Adopting practices like continuous integration and automated testing can catch and fix conflicts early, making the development process smoother and more efficient. This approach not only clarifies the development process but also enhances the overall compatibility and functionality of the website.
Composable websites are built with lots of modular components that can be swapped and changed easily. This modularity is great for flexibility - but it also means there's more for developers and content editors to keep track of. Managing so many components can get complicated, especially when it comes to keeping everything updated and running smoothly.
To handle this complexity, using a headless CMS can be a game-changer. It helps keep track of how each component is used, along with their dependencies and updates.
On top of that, a strong version control system is crucial. It makes it easier to manage updates and ensures that all parts of your website are consistent and in sync. This setup not only keeps things organized but also maximizes the efficiency of development and maintenance processes.
Composable architecture is a fresh and flexible approach to building systems, designed to let teams innovate freely and adapt quickly. While it's a powerful tool, it doesn’t yet have set standards, which can sometimes make it tricky to keep projects consistent and collaborative.
To make the most of composable architecture, it’s a smart move to create detailed, clear internal guidelines and train your team on them. This way, everyone knows how to work effectively within this framework, ensuring smoother project launches and stronger teamwork.
By documenting what works and training everyone accordingly, you turn the challenge of a new system into a strength that pushes your projects forward.
Maintaining data consistency across the various components of a composable website is essential for smooth operation. As different services often require synchronized updates, it’s important for developers to set up strong processes that protect data integrity.
Without these safeguards, discrepancies in data can cause errors and disrupt the website’s functionality. To keep data consistent and reliable, it’s effective to use centralized data management systems.
These systems ensure that updates across services are well-coordinated and maintain data integrity. Implementing transactional mechanisms also helps safeguard against data loss during updates.
A common challenge when building composable websites is the risk of feature overload, where the integration of multiple components might lead to too many features, cluttering the user experience.
It's crucial for developers to carefully select and prioritize features that truly align with the website's main goals. To prevent this overload, adopting a minimalistic approach is key.
Developers should rigorously evaluate each feature's necessity and alignment with the site's core objectives. Implementing a governance framework helps set clear criteria for feature inclusion and supports regular assessments through user testing and feedback.
This approach ensures that the site remains streamlined and effective, avoiding unnecessary complexity and enhancing the overall user experience.
To get the most out of composable architecture, focus on three critical areas: managing APIs effectively, utilizing a headless CMS, and developing a solid design system.
API Management: Central to integrating and orchestrating diverse elements of the tech stack, effective API management ensures seamless communication, enhances security, and supports scalability and monitoring across systems.
Headless CMS: By decoupling backend content management from the frontend presentation, a headless CMS offers flexibility in content delivery, improves user experience across platforms, and accelerates content updates and performance.
Design System: A comprehensive design system with thorough documentation promotes consistency, enhances development efficiency, fosters team collaboration, and supports scalability as organizational needs grow.
Composable websites are rapidly setting the standard for future web development. These platforms offer unmatched flexibility, scalability, and efficiency, enabling businesses to seamlessly adapt to ever-evolving market demands.
As composability has become the new industry standard, the best B2B SaaS websites today are embracing this modular approach and showcasing its ability to increase efficiency for web operations.
At Webstacks, we are committed to using the latest technologies to enhance your online presence with innovative web development solutions.
If you want to learn more about composable website development, watch our full webinar, "Modular Web Design: Using Universal Page Templates to Empower Marketing Teams," featuring Webstacks CEO Nikan Shahidi and Gatsby Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer Sam Bhagwat.