Composable Commerce: The Whole Story

There are many shops worldwide that decided to go with composable commerce. Suppose we need to offer one answer that sums up all those people and their expectations of composable commerce. In that case, it's the greater flexibility and scalability in the development, and easy maintenance of an e-commerce platform.
But, one of the key benefits is that composable commerce allows different platform parts to be developed, updated, and scaled - independently.
In this article, we will thoroughly explain the connection between composable commerce and microservices, which are independent, modular units of functionality.
Actually, microservices that can be developed, tested, and deployed independently, make all the changes in an easy approach of maintaining the platform updated at all times.
Definition
Defining and explaining the composable commerce
If we have to sum up everything composable commerce is in one sentence, we’ll go with: “A development approach where the picking of best-of-breed commerce components (PBCs) is needed in order to combine them into a website built to fulfill the particular business needs.”
The success of a composable commerce project surely lies in composed Packaged Business Capabilities or PBCs. Each PBC will be a feature or capability of the application. PBCs are usually third-party software components that will be bought while creating the application.
The easiest way to understand why composable commerce needs PBCs, usually from the start, is their use. For example, a PBC is a shopping cart for our eCommerce website, or a checkout component necessary for an online shop.
Since composable commerce can be labeled as a strategy for selecting PBS, we need to mention that it leverages modern technologies and approaches like MACH (Microservices, APIs, Cloud, and Headless) and Jamstack (JavaScript, APIs, and Markup).
If we imagine composable commerce as a solution where all parts of it come from different vendors and are built for a single purpose, we can finalize this introduction by concluding that composable commerce is undoubtedly a better choice than a one-vendor and one-size-fits-all eCommerce website. Why? Because of endless possibilities. And the modern digital world needs (and expects) all possibilities at all times.

Composable Commerce
How is composable commerce different from traditional commerce?
Your contact

Are composable commerce and headless commerce the same thing?
Headless commerce and composable commerce are similar in that they both involve decoupling the front-end and back-end of an e-commerce platform.
In headless commerce, the front-end and back-end are completely separate, so the front-end can be built using any technology and can be easily changed without affecting the back-end. This allows for greater flexibility and customization in the design of the storefront.
Composable commerce is similar, but it takes this concept a step further by allowing the front-end and back-end to be composed of microservices, which are independent, modular units of functionality. This allows different parts of the platform to be developed, updated, and scaled independently, resulting in a more flexible and scalable e-commerce platform.
In short, headless commerce involves separating the front-end and back-end of an e-commerce platform, while composable commerce involves breaking the platform down into smaller, independent microservices.
What is the difference between modular and composable commerce?
Yes, modular commerce and composable commerce are similar. They both involve breaking down an e-commerce platform into smaller, independent units of functionality.
But, modular commerce involves dividing the platform into larger, more cohesive modules that can be developed and maintained independently. These modules can be considered as large "building blocks" that can be combined to create a complete platform.
Composable commerce, on the other hand, involves breaking the platform down into even smaller units of functionality known as microservices. These microservices are independent and can be developed, tested, and deployed independently. This allows for even greater flexibility and scalability, as different parts of the platform can be easily customized and updated without affecting other parts of the system.Beim Composable Commerce hingegen wird die Plattform in noch kleinere Funktionseinheiten, sogenannte Microservices, unterteilt. Diese Microservices sind unabhängig und können individuell entwickelt, getestet und bereitgestellt werden. Diese ermöglichten eine noch größere Flexibilität und Skalierbarkeit, da verschiedene Teile der Plattform leicht angepasst und aktualisiert werden können, ohne andere Teile des Systems zu beeinträchtigen.
Example structure with microservices


Various headless services combine to create a flexible environment.
Going over the Packaged Business Capabilities (PBCs) in detail
Definition PBCs
As we mentioned in the chapter above, Packaged Business Capabilities are the building blocks of Composable Commerce, used to create the commerce solution for particular business needs.
PBCs are, to be precise in tech language, applications or services created by developers to fit and serve a particular function.
Using API (Application Programming Interface), PBCs “glue” all these picked services together, creating a website with a neat workflow and almost no need for extensive back-end management.
Difference between PBCs and Microservices
Let us explain the first thing first: microservices are not PBCs.
Microservices are autonomous services created to build various PBCs. Therefore, PBCs can be defined as a combination of microservices. Combined microservices have a role to finish a particular task of the PBC, and combined PBCs are composable commerce platforms. We know you got it now.
MACH: Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native and Headless Development
Microservices
Microservices have a role in establishing the functionality of self-contained, specialized components. They will be responsible for reusability and base for regular, well-targeted software updates.
API-first
API-first means that API is placed ahead of other concerns, like the application or UI. Web APIs are responsible for connecting microservices to serve users' data and functionality.
Cloud-native architecture
Cloud-native architecture has a role in providing scalability in delivering fast and reliable shopping experiences. Since it's on the cloud, the platform will scale automatically based on the user's needs, offering speed, performance and security.
Headless
Headless means separating the "head" from the back end. Headless development has a role in offering better-equipped apps to cater to multiple platforms and devices.
MACH vs. Jamstack
It's important to know that MACH is different from Jamstack (JavaScript, APIs, and markdown). They are both created for headless front-end experiences and a modular back-end powered by APIs, but:
- Jamstack has the front-end pre-built into super-optimized pages and assets
- MACH is a collection of applications arranged as a collection of coupled and independently deployable services
Benefits of Composable Commerce
01: Greater flexibility
Composable commerce allows for greater flexibility in developing and customizing an e-commerce platform.
02: Improved scalability
The modular nature of composable commerce allows for easier scaling of the platform as the business grows.
03: Enhanced security
Microservices can be developed with safety in mind, making composable commerce platforms more secure.
04: Faster deployment:
Because microservices can be developed and deployed independently, composable commerce platforms can be updated and modified more quickly.
05: Easier maintenance
With composable commerce, it is easier to maintain and update different platform parts independently.
06: Improved reliability
Composable commerce platforms are more resilient to failures because microservices can continue to function even if other parts of the system are down.
07: Increased agility
The modular nature of composable commerce allows for more rapid development and deployment of new features and functionality.
08: Better user experience
Composable commerce allows a more tailored, personalized user experience.
09: Enhanced interoperability
Composable commerce platforms can more easily integrate with other systems and platforms.
10: Lower costs
Because composable commerce allows for the development and deployment of smaller, independent units of functionality, it can be more cost-effective than traditional e-commerce platforms.
Disadvantages of composable commerce
01: Complexity
One potential challenge is that composable commerce platforms can be complex to develop and maintain, especially for businesses that need to become more familiar with this approach.
02: Integration
Another challenge is integrating different microservices and ensuring they work seamlessly.
03: Testing
Testing a composable commerce platform can be more complex because each microservice must be tested independently and in combination with other microservices.
04: Documentation
It can be challenging to keep track of all the different microservices and their dependencies, which can lead to issues with documentation and maintenance.
05: Expertise
Building and maintaining a composable commerce platform requires specialized knowledge of microservices and other relevant technologies.
06: Cost
While composable commerce can potentially be more cost-effective in the long run, the initial development and setup costs can be higher than for traditional e-commerce platforms.
Despite these challenges, many businesses are finding that the benefits of composable commerce outweigh the challenges and can be solved in the transition to this approach.
Why are modern brands choosing composable commerce?
How to start with composable commerce?
There are a few key steps we recommend when starting with composable commerce:
- Identify the types of your products that are suitable for composable commerce. These are typically products with many possible configurations or customization options, such as computers, cars, or furniture.
- Determine the component parts or modules customers can choose when creating their customized products.
- Offer a set up system for customers to select and assemble their desired components or modules. This can be done through a website, app, in-store kiosks or sales associates.
- Implement a system for managing inventory and production of customized products. This will involve keeping track of the availability of different components or modules and coordinating the production and delivery of the finished product.
- Learn how to promote the composable commerce offerings to customers and educate them on the benefits of customizing their products.
Why is composable commerce a game changer?

Your contact for Composable Commerce
