2024-05-23 Frontend Working Group Meeting Notes: Footer Slots and Some Module Federation

Owned by Adolfo Brandes
Last updated: Jun 06, 2024
2 min read

 Date, time, location

 Discussion topic(s)

Backporting footer slots and bringing FPF into Frontend Platform.

🎥Recording

 Participants

Adolfo Brandes, Brian Smith, Chintan Joshi, Fox Piacenti, Jason Wesson, Max Frank

🤖 Summary

  1. Discussion on Backporting Footer Slots:

    • Brian Smith discussed backporting the footer slot to Redwood and raised the question of whether front-end slots should be provided by the front-end platform.

    • The group debated the advantages of small, independent repos versus consolidating everything under the front-end platform.

    • Key considerations included maintainability, ease of understanding, and the ability to move quickly with changes.

    • It was generally agreed that while there is merit in consolidating for stability, maintaining separate repos might still be preferable to allow faster iteration.

  2. Frontend Plugin Framework vs. Frontend Platform:

    • Discussion on whether the front-end plugin framework should be integrated into the front-end platform.

    • Concerns were raised about dependency management and potential breaking changes.

    • The current stance is to keep them separate to allow flexibility and faster development until a more stable API is needed.

  3. Modularity and Federated Modules:

    • The conversation touched on the future of modularity, particularly the possibility of federated modules becoming another plugin type.

    • The idea of integrating certain elements into the shell app instead of the library was considered to reduce complexity.

  4. New Contracts and X Blocks Development:

    • Fox Piacenti raised a concern about new contracts requiring the development of new X blocks.

    • Current limitations in integrating new MFE technologies with X blocks were discussed, highlighting the challenges of performance and maintainability.

    • The team acknowledged the need for an updated approach but recognized that a short-term solution would involve creating new X blocks with the existing framework.

  5. Configuration vs. Plugin Slots:

    • Adolfo Brandes initiated a discussion on the use of feature toggles versus plugin slots for configurations.

    • The group explored the benefits and drawbacks of each approach, considering user experience and maintainability.

    • There was consensus on the need for an easier way to discover and manage plugins, potentially through a catalog or admin panel.

  6. Frontend Study Group and Knowledge Sharing:

    • The idea of creating a Wiki page to document and share examples of plugin slots and their usage was suggested.

    • This would help make community contributions more discoverable and facilitate knowledge sharing.

  7. Automated Communication Engine (ACE):

    • Brief mention of an issue related to notification widgets in the ACE framework.

    • The team decided to look further into the issue and explore potential solutions.

Next Steps:

  • Brian Smith to continue exploring the backporting of the footer slot to Redwood.

  • Adolfo Brandes to follow up on the potential integration of the front-end plugin framework into the front-end platform.

  • Fox Piacenti to address the immediate need for new X blocks development while keeping an eye on longer-term solutions.

  • Team to consider creating a Wiki page for documenting plugin slots and examples.

  • Further investigation into the ACE issue and potential impacts on current projects.

 Action items

 Decisions