Unlocking the power of MACH: Get to know the inner workings of this modern framework

At Voyage we live and breathe the ever-changing world of software development and digitisation. And, admittedly, we can be slightly obsessive about discovering the best and boldest new frameworks and methodologies that can help to bring our client’s visions to life.

We’ve seen the rise of a new architecture strategy going by the name of MACH, standing for microservices, API-first, cloud-native and headless. The new framework brings together what are arguably the four most important aspects of modern software design. It hones in on the delivery of digital experiences that are catered to our modern world, meaning they are agile and scalable, and utilise the likes of machine learning and AI.

To delve into MACH architecture is to offer a glimpse into how we work at Voyage, and why we do what we do.

What is MACH and what does it stand for?

With the ability to build resilient and functional digital experiences, the tried and true elements of MACH make our developer’s heart’s sing.

Microservices describes having services and components unique and separate. This allows developers to create, deploy, manage and update services independently for faster and more streamlined changes.

API-first puts APIs at the centre of the development and ensures all functions address API-related considerations as early as possible. This makes it far easier to bring together applications and services, and simplifies the likes of access controls, integrations and more.

Cloud-native is a hosting strategy that makes use of cloud-based platforms and tools, instead of solely local hosting locations. Cloud-native SaaS utilises the capacity and capability of the cloud - namely storage, hosting and content management systems such as Sanity. It also updates functionality automatically to remove manual upgrades and save your - or our - team the extra headache.

Speaking of, Headless is where the frontend user experience is separated from the backend, which is achieved with specialist frameworks such as Next.js. This allows for greater design freedom when we’re a user interface, and makes it easier to connect to other channels and devices, be that other applications, IoT sensors and more.

Okay, but how does MACH work?

At first glance it’s not necessarily easy to see how these elements play out in the real world - and they may even seem at odds with each other. For instance, headless promotes a development approach that has applications in two parts, while microservices describes a style that has applications in several pieces. Suffice it to say, there’s no one way or right way to develop according to a MACH framework.

At Voyage, we tend to follow the guiding principle and best practices of the four components, customising and adapting our approach to best fit what the specific project calls for, and always making the most of the intelligent technology we have access to.

Generally speaking, our MACH applications are made up of separate parts that function in isolation, and can also be modified individually. We’ve found that following this strategy we can bring greater flexibility, scalability and reliability to our end product.

Alongside best practices, leveraging MACH tools and services means we can roll out changes and upgrades far easier. It also means we can support high scalability as individual components can scale as needed, with the ability to handle unexpected workloads and conserve resources when unused.

Finally, cloud-native and distributed development helps to boost reliability and resilience. If part of the hosting environment fails, the app can remain up and running. This reduces the chances of dreaded downtime.

Overall, MACH enables us, as your team of developers, to leverage the best of the best when it comes to tech, tapping into advanced in-built features and functions, that are backed by experts, to give you the best bang for your buck.

Winning CX - why we do what we do

The move towards MACH is driven by the need to deliver winning customer experiences every time. This fits right in with our values at Voyage. We’re passionate about making our client’s digital experiences, products or services simple, functional and beautiful.

Using this framework, we help our clients to stop stressing about what goes on behind the scenes (although we definitely keep you in the loop on what’s important) so you can get stuck into what you do best.

Get in touch today if you’re hunting out a team to help realise your web application, mobile app, website development, or digital transformation project.