Below is a comprehensive course design for learning Microfrontends, tailored for developers with a basic understanding of frontend development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and a framework like React, Angular, or Vue). The course focuses on the concepts, architecture, implementation, and best practices for building microfrontends.
Course Title: Mastering Microfrontends: Architecture and Implementation
Course Duration
- Total Duration: 6 weeks (part-time, ~4-6 hours per week)
- Format: Online, self-paced with optional live Q&A sessions
- Level: Intermediate to Advanced
- Prerequisites:
- Proficiency in JavaScript and a modern frontend framework (React, Angular, Vue, etc.)
- Basic understanding of web development (HTML, CSS, REST APIs)
- Familiarity with module bundlers (e.g., Webpack, Vite) and version control (Git)
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
- Understand the principles and benefits of microfrontend architecture.
- Design and implement microfrontends using various integration techniques.
- Manage state, communication, and routing in a microfrontend ecosystem.
- Apply best practices for scalability, performance, and maintainability.
- Deploy and maintain a microfrontend-based application.
Course Outline
Week 1: Introduction to Microfrontends
- Objective: Understand the what, why, and when of microfrontends.
- Topics:
- What are Microfrontends? Definition and core principles.
- Comparison with monolithic frontends and microservices.
- Benefits: Scalability, team autonomy, technology agnosticism.
- Challenges: Complexity, performance, consistency.
- Use cases and real-world examples (e.g., Spotify, IKEA).
- Activities:
- Reading: Martin Fowler’s article on Microfrontends.
- Discussion: Analyze a case study of a company using microfrontends.
- Quiz: Key concepts of microfrontends.
- Resources:
- Blog: “Micro Frontends” by Martin Fowler.
- Video: Introduction to Microfrontends (YouTube or similar platform).
Week 2: Microfrontend Architecture and Patterns
- Objective: Learn the architectural patterns and design principles for microfrontends.
- Topics:
- Core architectural patterns:
- Server-side composition.
- Client-side composition.
- Edge-side includes (ESI).
- iframe-based microfrontends.
- Team organization: Aligning microfrontends with team boundaries.
- Monorepo vs. multi-repo setups.
- Design systems for UI consistency across microfrontends.
- Core architectural patterns:
- Activities:
- Exercise: Sketch a microfrontend architecture for a sample e-commerce app.
- Discussion: Pros and cons of different composition patterns.
- Resources:
- Book: “Micro Frontends in Action” by Michael Geers.
- Tool: Explore Single-SPA or Module Federation.
Week 3: Building Microfrontends – Integration Techniques
- Objective: Implement microfrontends using popular integration techniques.
- Topics:
- Client-side integration with Single-SPA.
- Module Federation with Webpack 5.
- Server-side rendering (SSR) for microfrontends.
- iframe-based microfrontends: When and how to use.
- Lazy loading and dynamic imports for performance.
- Activities:
- Lab: Set up a simple microfrontend project using Single-SPA.
- Lab: Create a Module Federation setup with Webpack 5.
- Code review: Share and critique microfrontend implementations.
- Resources:
- Documentation: Single-SPA, Webpack Module Federation.
- Tutorial: “Getting Started with Single-SPA” (online resource).
Week 4: State Management and Communication
- Objective: Manage state and communication between microfrontends.
- Topics:
- Shared state management: Redux, Zustand, or custom solutions.
- Cross-microfrontend communication:
- Custom events.
- Pub/Sub patterns.
- Shared context or props passing.
- Handling data consistency and avoiding race conditions.
- Authentication and authorization in microfrontends.
- Activities:
- Lab: Implement a shared state using Redux in a microfrontend app.
- Lab: Create a pub/sub system for microfrontend communication.
- Discussion: Challenges of state management in distributed frontends.
- Resources:
- Library: Redux Toolkit, Zustand.
- Article: “State Management in Microfrontends” (online resource).
Week 5: Routing, Performance, and Testing
- Objective: Optimize routing, performance, and testing strategies for microfrontends.
- Topics:
- Routing in microfrontends:
- Centralized vs. decentralized routing.
- Framework-agnostic routing with Single-SPA.
- Performance optimization:
- Code splitting and lazy loading.
- Bundle size optimization.
- Caching strategies.
- Testing microfrontends:
- Unit testing individual microfrontends.
- Integration testing across microfrontends.
- End-to-end testing with tools like Cypress or Playwright.
- Routing in microfrontends:
- Activities:
- Lab: Implement decentralized routing in a microfrontend app.
- Lab: Optimize bundle size using Webpack analyzer tools.
- Lab: Write unit and integration tests for a microfrontend.
- Resources:
- Tools: Cypress, Playwright, Webpack Bundle Analyzer.
- Tutorial: “Performance Optimization in Microfrontends” (online resource).
Week 6: Deployment, CI/CD, and Best Practices
- Objective: Deploy microfrontends and establish best practices for production.
- Topics:
- Deployment strategies:
- Independent deployment of microfrontends.
- Blue-green deployments and canary releases.
- CI/CD pipelines for microfrontends (e.g., GitHub Actions, Jenkins).
- Monitoring and logging in a microfrontend architecture.
- Best practices:
- Versioning and backward compatibility.
- Governance and team collaboration.
- Handling cross-browser compatibility.
- Scaling microfrontends in large organizations.
- Deployment strategies:
- Activities:
- Lab: Set up a CI/CD pipeline for a microfrontend app using GitHub Actions.
- Capstone Project: Build and deploy a fully functional microfrontend-based application (e.g., a dashboard or e-commerce app).
- Presentation: Share capstone project with peers for feedback.
- Resources:
- Tools: GitHub Actions, Vercel, Netlify.
- Article: “Scaling Microfrontends in Production” (online resource).
Learning Methodology
- Lectures: Short video lectures (10-15 minutes) explaining concepts.
- Hands-on Labs: Practical coding exercises to reinforce learning.
- Capstone Project: Build a complete microfrontend application (e.g., an e-commerce storefront or dashboard).
- Discussion Forums: Engage with peers and instructors for Q&A.
- Quizzes: Weekly quizzes to test understanding of key concepts.
- Live Q&A: Optional weekly live sessions with instructors for clarification.
Tools and Technologies
- Frameworks: React, Angular, Vue (learners can choose one).
- Integration Tools: Single-SPA, Webpack Module Federation.
- State Management: Redux, Zustand.
- Testing: Jest, Cypress, Playwright.
- CI/CD: GitHub Actions, Jenkins.
- Deployment: Vercel, Netlify, or AWS.
Assessment and Certification
- Weekly Quizzes: 20% of total grade.
- Labs and Exercises: 30% of total grade.
- Capstone Project: 50% of total grade.
- Certification: Awarded upon completion of all assignments and capstone project with a minimum score of 70%.
Resources
- Books:
- “Micro Frontends in Action” by Michael Geers.
- “Building Micro-Frontends” by Luca Mezzalira.
- Online Resources:
- Martin Fowler’s Microfrontends article.
- Single-SPA documentation.
- Webpack Module Federation guide.
- Communities:
- X posts and discussions on #microfrontends.
- Frontend development forums (e.g., Reddit, Stack Overflow).
Capstone Project
- Objective: Build a microfrontend-based application (e.g., an e-commerce platform with separate microfrontends for product listing, cart, and user profile).
- Requirements:
- Use at least two microfrontends integrated via Single-SPA or Module Federation.
- Implement shared state or cross-microfrontend communication.
- Optimize for performance (lazy loading, bundle size).
- Include unit and integration tests.
- Deploy the app to a platform like Vercel or Netlify.
- Deliverables:
- Source code hosted on GitHub.
- A short presentation or demo video explaining the architecture and implementation.
Additional Notes
- Customization: The course can be tailored for specific frameworks (e.g., React-focused or Angular-focused) based on learner preferences.
- Support: Instructors or mentors available via email or forums for troubleshooting.
- Real-Time Updates: If the user wants, I can search X or the web for recent microfrontend trends or tools to include in the course (e.g., new libraries or case studies).
Would you like me to refine any part of this course (e.g., add more details, focus on a specific framework, or include a particular tool)? Alternatively, I can search for recent microfrontend-related discussions on X or the web to enhance the course content. Let me know!
Instructor
