TL;DR (Quick Summary) 

To increase development speed and site performance, we’ve made improvements to the learning sequence experience(Learning MFE) on edX-platform, to use a React-based frontend that emulates the legacy experience. 

What is it? 

After a year of diligently working to overhaul the learning sequence experience to use a React-based micro-fronted, it is now live for learners. This update to the underlying infrastructure of the learning sequence experience aims to drive innovation and experimentation that will ultimately foster greater learner engagement. With the new experience, learners will notice a reduction in load times and better site performance. However, the true beneficiaries of this work are internal development teams who will be able to quickly and efficiently build in this area of the system.

Key talking points for customers

Learners and partners should not experience a major change to the learning sequence experience. The primary goal of this initiative is to empower rapid internal development and external contribution. Given this, development teams are the primary benefactor of this effort. These teams will notice a reduction in development times and greater output of features. 

Results 

Using the React MFE allows for a richer learner experience by reducing course load-time and vastly improving the mobile-web experience. Additionally, the new experience supports learners by increasing internal development speeds which allows for greater feature development. By breaking down the courseware and reducing dependency, internal squads can more easily iterate and develop in this area of the platform. Today, we see the benefits of this infrastructure change to the learning sequence experience contribute to the release of several projects and experiments. Some of these initiatives include: 

• Engage Squad: Course Home(Outline Page, Dates Page, and Progress Page), and Course Exit Celebration

• Aurora: MicroMasters Preview to Paid Revenue model experiment

• Aperture: Certificate Availability Learner Messaging

Credits / A Group Effort!

Major thanks to the TNL-Cambridge Squad for driving this forward. 

Special thanks to all other contributors who took part in this initiative not listed above.