We have collectively forgotten what monoliths are
Even though there are a million articles about this, we have somehow grown numb to their content. In the race to composable DXP, we have collectively forgotten what monolithic software actually entails. Let's re-learn the basics before we call modern platforms that add additional features the new monoliths. We are in the middle of the race to the middle!
In the early 2000s, content management systems were predominantly built as monoliths - large, tightly integrated software packages that offered a wide array of out-of-the-box features. These systems aimed to provide comprehensive functionality, covering approximately 75% of typical use cases without requiring additional customization.
To illustrate the difference between monolithic and composable systems, consider the analogy of sandwich-making:
The misconception of modern platforms as monoliths
The term "monolith" is being misapplied to modern headless API-driven vendors who are expanding their feature sets. This mischaracterisation overlooks the fundamental differences between true monolithic systems and the flexible, API-driven platforms of today.
Key distinctions
The evolution of CMS
The transition from monolithic to composable architectures represents a significant shift in the CMS landscape:
While it's true that some modern CMS vendors are expanding their feature sets, it's crucial to recognize that this expansion does not equate to a return to monolithic architecture. This is the race to the middle.
The key differentiator lies in the underlying design principles: API-first, modular, and inherently flexible. As the industry continues to evolve, it's important to maintain clarity in our terminology.
Modern platforms that offer expanded features while maintaining an API-driven, composable architecture are not monoliths – they are the next evolution in content management platforms, providing the best of both worlds: comprehensive functionality with the flexibility to adapt to changing business needs.
Concluding
Headless vendors adding functionality is putting the customer first and listening to the needs. Idealistically chasing the headless dream makes customers set up procurement teams for 15 different vendors and countless SLAs. More over, composable architectures are complex. Getting more out of the box of a single vendor allows customers to use the same solution engineers and support to get more features for their dollars.
Modern composable software like Contentstack is sold as a platform. If a certain business case requires more specific features, build your own or use a different vendor and connect the systems. Due to its platform nature, you can also build on the platform using the developer hub or the automation product.
Let's stop chasing idealistic headless sovereignty and start listing to our customers who demand software that solves their business problems...
This article was originally published here: https://timbenniks.dev/writing/we-have-collectively-forgotten-what-monoliths-are
Solution Engineer at Uniform
1 个月I'm curious—what makes a solution qualify for the term "composable DXP," or what is the market's standard definition for a (composable) DXP in 2025? Historically, the evolution from CMS to DXP has been driven by the increasing complexity and diversity of channels businesses need to manage. The first, and still widely recognized, CMS platforms primarily focused on web content management, as the web was the dominant channel. Over time, these platforms expanded to include tools for email marketing, social media, mobile apps, and even emerging interfaces like Google Home and Amazon Alexa. (P.S.: I can’t help but chuckle thinking back to those pitches—my past employers loved emphasizing Alexa/Google Home integrations! Yet here we are, years later, and I rarely see major B2C or B2B brands effectively, or even at all, leveraging those devices as channels.) --- I will have to split this one in two due to character restrictions...
Well said.
SVP Product at Contentstack
1 个月Well put! Required reading...
Senior Sales Engineer @ Contentstack | Solutions Engineering, Technical Presales
1 个月Great article Tim Benniks Easy to digest ??
Product Management | Product Marketing | Competitive Intelligence | B2B SaaS | DXP | Product Analyst @ Contentstack | Helping Companies Gain a Competitive Edge through Market Intelligence | Open to relocate
1 个月Great read Tim Benniks!