Modular software architecture in mobile apps means building an ecosystem for an app that consists of a set of modules. Each of them performs its specific action – authorization, shopping cart, payment, profile, etc. It means you won't need to change the whole app and update all its components in the future if you need to make changes to the app. You work just with the concrete module and make changes there.
How does modular architecture differ from monolithic approaches?
When everything is divided into a module, it’s easier to test, and teams can work in parallel on building functions. With a monolithic approach, there is a slightly different workflow. The entire app is a single codebase, which you need to update as a whole while adding some changes. Therefore, scalability will be harder in the future since all functionality has to be updated at once. It’s also inconvenient for teams to work with, cuz any change requires extra time for creating, updating, and testing functions. Devs cannot work in parallel in this case.
Getting started is faster with the monolithic approach: you write the code and gradually build the whole application. Modular architecture requires more time to create the entire ecosystem, modules, build the app architecture, and then work on its functions. However, in the future, it'll be much easier to work with modules, update them, and develop your mobile app.
What are the main benefits of using modular architecture?
Modular architecture for mobile apps lets you:
easily add new features or modify existing ones without having to rewrite the entire code;
update or fix individual parts of the app without risking affecting others;
allows different teams to work on separate modules simultaneously, speeding up the overall development process;
reuse modules developed for one project in other projects;
run isolated testing of each module, which simplifies the detection and fixing of mistakes;
since the modules are isolated, problems in one module do not affect other parts of the app.
How can modular design improve development speed and scalability?
Thanks to the division into independent modules, dev teams can work on separate parts of the app simultaneously. For instance, one team works on payment features, while another works on geolocation. Moreover, you can test each module separately, which simplifies the process of finding and fixing mistakes.
And a few words about scalability improvements. Scalability is improved by the fact that individual modules can be scaled independently of each other. In this way, teams use the right technologies to meet current market needs and can adapt to new things easily.
As a result, modular architecture allows you to:
develop app faster, scale them efficiently, and keep high stability.
This is especially important for businesses in the rapidly changing mobile technology market.
What are the potential challenges and drawbacks of modular architecture?
While developing a mobile app with a modular architecture, you may face the following challenges:
Breaking down an app into lots of modules can significantly complicate the project structure.
Modular architectures require a lot of initial effort in tool configuration, interfaces between modules, and version control.
Successful implementation of a modular architecture requires highly skilled developers. The dev team needs to understand the principles of modular design and can effectively manage dependencies and integration between modules.
It can be hard to maintain and develop an app if it's too fragmented into small modules.
As each module requires its own testing, the number of test scenarios and the complexity of execution increase.
In spite of all the challenges we've described, the TRIARE team knows how to solve them and has a plan for different scenarios.
How does modular architecture enhance app maintenance and updates?
In this way:
Since modules work independently, you can change one without affecting the rest. It’s easier to improve your app by working with just a concrete part, but not the whole code.
You can test each module separately, making it easier to find and fix mistakes faster. Also, a few QA specialists can run different tests simultaneously.
You can also scale parts of the app or adapt them to new requirements without rewriting the entire code.
Modular architecture helps reduce maintenance costs by enabling code reuse and avoiding duplicated effort. Create once and use it on other projects.
All in all, modular architecture enables more efficient maintenance and updating of mobile apps. These factors are crucial to maintaining their competitiveness and adaptability in the ever-changing market.
In which types of mobile projects does modular architecture work best?
Modular architecture in mobile development is best suited for large and complex apps. It will be the perfect choice if your app has a lot of functional blocks or integrations with other systems. Modular architecture allows you to divide the app into independent components, which makes project management easier. For instance, e-commerce projects, delivery apps, and logistics platforms.
It is also the go-to choice for fast-paced projects. When you need to frequently add new features, test them, or fix bugs. In this case, different teams can work in parallel on separate modules, which speeds up the development process. And it also lets you cut costs on updates since you don’t need to rewrite the whole codebase.
This approach will also work for apps that run on different platforms at once – Android, iOS, or the web. Modular architecture will ensure code and functionality reuse, reducing the cost of developing and maintaining the app for each platform.
TRIARE experts' recommendations for implementing modular architecture successfully
Our TRIARE experts emphasize the importance of clearly defining modules, describing their interfaces and functionality, and maintaining detailed documentation. Thanks to these approaches, our team has already achieved a 35% increase in development speed. And in the context of working on an entire project, this figure means a lot.
Above all, we recommend:
Breaking the app down into independent components with clearly defined functions and interfaces.
Create detailed descriptions of each module, which facilitates understanding and maintenance of the code.
Implement testing and integration practices that ensure the stability and quality of the app.
Ensure the ability to easily add new features and adapt to new requirements.
Successful examples of modular software architecture cases you can find in our portfolio.
Conclusions
What is modular architecture in software: a strategic approach that divides an app into separate modules for easier development, maintenance, and scalability. Knowing each module’s requirements and future plans for scaling helps you use this approach effectively.
Implement your ideas with a relevant and truly effective strategy to achieve your goals and have a clear roadmap to the app that makes a difference.