Where Microfrontends with Module Federation Are Required: Advantages, Disadvantages, and the Risk of Overengineering

Justin Davis

Abstract: As web applications grow in scale and complexity, frontend architectures have evolved to accommodate scalability, team autonomy, and maintainability. Microfrontends, particularly when implemented with Webpack's Module Federation, offer a distributed and modular approach to frontend development. However, their application is not universally advantageous. This paper explores the contexts in which microfrontends with module federation are most suitable, outlines the advantages and disadvantages of this architecture, and critically analyzes scenarios where their adoption may result in overengineering.

Keywords: Microfrontends, Module Federation, Webpack, Frontend Architecture, Team Autonomy, Independent Deployment, Overengineering, Scalability, Runtime Integration, Incremental Migration