Maximizing Micro Frontends: Harnessing the Power of Getter and Setter Methods in E-commerce

Tags: web components custom elements javascript microfrontends ecommerce

Micro Frontends have emerged as a powerful architectural pattern, allowing developers to build scalable and maintainable applications. In this blog post, we'll explore how to leverage getter and setter methods for effective data sharing in a Micro Frontend setup, using an e-commerce scenario as our guiding example.

The Micro Frontend Landscape

Micro Frontends involve breaking down a monolithic frontend into smaller, independent, and manageable parts. Each part, often called a Micro Frontend, can be developed, tested, and deployed independently, offering flexibility and scalability.

The E-commerce Micro Frontend Scenario

Consider an e-commerce application with distinct components for product listings, shopping cart management, and payment processing. Each component operates independently, but they need to share data seamlessly for a cohesive user experience.

Implementing Getter and Setter Methods

Let's create custom elements for each Micro Frontend component:

class ProductListElement extends HTMLElement {
  #products = [];
  constructor() {
    super();
  }

  // Getter and Setter for products
  get products() {
    return this.#products;
  }

  set products(newProducts) {
    this.#products = newProducts;
  }
}

class ShoppingCartElement extends HTMLElement {
  #cartItems = [];
  constructor() {
    super();
  }

  // Getter and Setter for cart items
  get cartItems() {
    return this.#cartItems;
  }

  set cartItems(newCartItems) {
    this.#cartItems = newCartItems;
  }
}

class PaymentElement extends HTMLElement {
  #totalAmount = 0;
  constructor() {
    super();
  }

  // Getter and Setter for total amount
  get totalAmount() {
    return this.#totalAmount;
  }

  set totalAmount(newAmount) {
    this.#totalAmount = newAmount;
  }
}

// Define the custom elements
customElements.define('product-list-element', ProductListElement);
customElements.define('shopping-cart-element', ShoppingCartElement);
customElements.define('payment-element', PaymentElement);

Seamless Data Sharing

Now, let's demonstrate how these Micro Frontends can seamlessly share data:

<product-list-element id="productList"></product-list-element>
<shopping-cart-element id="cart"></shopping-cart-element>
<payment-element id="payment"></payment-element>

<script>
  // Access the custom elements
  const productList = document.getElementById('productList');
  const shoppingCart = document.getElementById('cart');
  const payment = document.getElementById('payment');

  // Simulate data updates
  productList.products = [...]; // Update product list
  shoppingCart.cartItems = [...]; // Update shopping cart
  payment.totalAmount = ...; // Update payment total

  // Access shared data
  console.log('Product List:', productList.products);
  console.log('Shopping Cart:', shoppingCart.cartItems);
  console.log('Payment Total:', payment.totalAmount);
</script>

Benefits of Getter and Setter Methods in Micro Frontends

1. Isolation: Each Micro Frontend retains its independence while participating in data sharing.
2. Flexibility: Components can evolve and scale independently without affecting the entire application.
3. Maintainability: Getter and setter methods provide a clean and encapsulated way to handle shared data.

Harnessing the power of getter and setter methods in a Micro Frontend setup enables developers to build scalable, modular, and maintainable e-commerce applications. Incorporate these practices into your projects and unlock the potential of Micro Frontends for seamless data collaboration.