Is Composable Commerce Just Another Architecture?

When clients hear about composable commerce, one recurring question we get is whether the method is “just another” architecture.

After all, if you’re looking to evolve your tech stack to a more modern platform, the last thing you want is to be tied to yet another solution that will become obsolete after a couple of years.

Thankfully, composable commerce is not just another web architecture. While it does inform the way your web applications interact, composable commerce encompasses your whole approach to content development. That means your brand can to show up across any digital channel.

Let’s look a bit closer at composable commerce, and its benefits.

A new strategy for digital transformation

We like to think of composable commerce as the natural evolution of eCommerce — as an approach that extends beyond language, framework, or using specific servers. It provides users the freedom to fully customize their platform without the friction that’s typically felt when relying on default applications and their related dependencies.

By using a headless approach, composable commerce enables you to build sites where the front-end is decoupled from the back-end. This means you’re able to create dynamic site functionality, and first-class digital experiences, while having confidence in your site performance and security.

The integrations that you use in your system – called PBCs, or Packaged Business Capabilities – are the basic building blocks of a composable commerce setup. These components allow you to create complex digital architecture using modular blocks that run autonomously. Each block is cloud-based, and communicates with different systems via APIs.

As your business evolves, you can decide to integrate more or less of these modular components to facilitate the experiences you want to create.

Foundations for composable commerce

If you’ve spent time on our site, you’ve likely heard about headless architectures and the benefits they bring. In the context of composable commerce, choosing a headless architecture forms the foundation for a future-proof approach.

Going headless means you’re leveraging the functionality of third-party tools and applications that connect through APIs. This setup is consistent with the principles of best-in-class design, as promoted by the MACH Alliance.

Embracing these components enables you to create highly customized experiences. Progressive trends in web development are based on these same principles, which drive the MACH Alliance philosophy. For example, Jamstack is a web development methodology based on the principles mentioned above.

Overall, composable commerce is a digital asset development strategy that puts the business at the center. The approach is built around this core “center” philosophy, which makes it more than simply just an architecture. Composable commerce represents a change in the way we strategize and create digital platforms.

Composable commerce is the evolution of eCommerce

Composable commerce provides an exciting path forward for the future of eCommerce, as it addresses some of the challenges and limitations felt from using traditional monolithic platforms.

As behaviors change and market growth continues to accelerate, brands need to keep pace, and choose technologies that help them adapt to uncertainty. Modular architecture enables agility, and allows you to add specific and autonomous blocks to the functions of a site without hassle.

As a result, companies no longer need to depend on a single digital service provider. You now have the option to integrate as many tools as you want, swapping out new ones when you need to. Composable commerce also provides benefits for your platform stability, since you no longer rely on a single server or tool.

At Apply Digital, we believe in the importance of having a platform that is composable, so you can easily maintain and make modifications to your tech with confidence. Having the ability to update branding and business offerings means you can be agile in times of change, and still provide first-class experiences. If you would like help with your digital strategy and assets, reach out to someone on our team today.