Phase 1: Composable Architecture Research Plan
Status: In Progress Duration: 1 week Owner: Web Search Researcher Agent Created: 2025-11-26
Research Objectives
Conduct comprehensive research on composable product suite architectures to inform CODITECT's transformation from monolithic multi-repo structure to modular, customer-selectable component suite.
Research Questions
1. Product Suite Architecture Patterns
Primary Question: How do successful companies structure product suites to enable both standalone and integrated usage?
Sub-Questions:
- How are component boundaries defined?
- What integration patterns enable both independence and interoperability?
- How are dependencies managed between components?
- What versioning strategies work best?
- How are breaking changes handled?
Target Examples:
- Adobe Creative Cloud (20+ products, tight integration)
- Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, etc.)
- Atlassian Suite (Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket, Trello)
- JetBrains Suite (IntelliJ IDEA, WebStorm, PyCharm, etc.)
- Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Gmail, Drive, etc.)
2. Microservices Composition Patterns
Primary Question: How do microservices architectures enable composability while maintaining data consistency?
Sub-Questions:
- Service mesh patterns (Istio, Linkerd)
- API gateway strategies
- Service-to-service communication (sync vs async)
- Data consistency patterns (eventual consistency, saga pattern)
- Distributed transactions (2-phase commit, compensating transactions)
Target Examples:
- Netflix microservices architecture
- Uber's service mesh
- Airbnb's service platform
- Spotify's backend infrastructure
3. Micro-Frontends Architecture
Primary Question: How can frontend applications be composed from independent, deployable components?
Sub-Questions:
- Module federation patterns (Webpack 5)
- Runtime composition vs build-time composition
- Shared state management across micro-frontends
- Consistent UX across independent components
- Performance optimization strategies
Target Examples:
- Spotify micro-frontends
- IKEA's web platform
- SAP Fiori architecture
- Single-SPA framework patterns
4. Plugin/Extension Architectures
Primary Question: How do successful platforms enable third-party extensibility while maintaining stability?
Sub-Questions:
- Plugin discovery and installation
- Sandboxing and security
- API stability guarantees
- Plugin versioning and compatibility
- Marketplace curation and quality
Target Examples:
- VS Code extension system
- WordPress plugin architecture
- Figma plugin system
- Chrome extension platform
- Obsidian plugin ecosystem
5. Unified Data Layer Patterns
Primary Question: How can independent components share data while maintaining autonomy?
Sub-Questions:
- Event sourcing architectures
- CQRS (Command Query Responsibility Segregation)
- Shared database vs database per service
- Event bus patterns (Kafka, RabbitMQ, Redis Streams)
- Cross-component queries and analytics
- Data ownership and boundaries
Target Examples:
- Stripe's event-driven architecture
- LinkedIn's event bus
- Netflix's data platform
- Amazon's event sourcing patterns
6. Component Marketplace Models
Primary Question: How do successful marketplaces enable component discovery, installation, and monetization?
Sub-Questions:
- Component discovery (search, categories, recommendations)
- Pricing models (free, freemium, subscription, one-time)
- Component bundling strategies
- Quality assurance and curation
- Rating and review systems
- Developer onboarding and support
Target Examples:
- WordPress plugin marketplace (60,000+ plugins)
- Shopify app store (7,000+ apps)
- Salesforce AppExchange (5,000+ apps)
- HubSpot marketplace
- Zapier integrations (5,000+ apps)
7. Unified Memory and Context Management
Primary Question: How can session state and user context be shared across independent components?
Sub-Questions:
- Distributed session management
- Context propagation patterns
- Cross-component workflow tracking
- Unified activity logs
- Session replay across components
Target Examples:
- Google account context across Workspace apps
- Microsoft account sync across Office apps
- Apple Continuity across devices
- Slack workspace context
8. Pricing Models for Product Suites
Primary Question: What pricing strategies work best for modular product suites?
Sub-Questions:
- À la carte vs bundles
- Usage-based vs seat-based pricing
- Free tier + premium components
- Enterprise custom bundles
- Pricing psychology (anchoring, value perception)
Target Examples:
- Adobe Creative Cloud pricing (individual apps vs full suite)
- Microsoft 365 tiers (Business Basic, Standard, Premium)
- Atlassian pricing (by product, by user count)
- Salesforce edition pricing
Research Methodology
Phase 1A: Product Suite Case Studies (Days 1-2)
Deliverable: 10-15 case studies (2-3 pages each)
For each case study:
- Company and product suite overview
- Component architecture (diagram)
- Integration patterns
- Data sharing approach
- Customer selection process
- Pricing model
- Key success factors
- Lessons learned
- Applicability to CODITECT
Target Case Studies:
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Microsoft 365
- Atlassian Suite
- JetBrains Toolbox
- Google Workspace
- Salesforce Platform
- HubSpot CRM Platform
- Shopify + App Ecosystem
- WordPress + Plugin Ecosystem
- Figma + Plugins
Phase 1B: Technical Architecture Research (Days 3-4)
Deliverable: Technical architecture patterns catalog (20-30 pages)
Topics:
-
Microservices Composition
- Service mesh patterns
- API gateway strategies
- Inter-service communication
- Data consistency patterns
-
Micro-Frontends
- Module federation
- Runtime vs build-time composition
- Shared state management
- Performance optimization
-
Event-Driven Architectures
- Event sourcing
- CQRS
- Event bus implementations
- Stream processing
-
Distributed Data Management
- Database per service
- Shared data layer
- Distributed transactions
- Cross-service queries
-
Plugin/Extension Systems
- Sandboxing and security
- API versioning
- Plugin lifecycle
- Quality assurance
Phase 1C: Unified Memory and Context (Day 5)
Deliverable: Context management patterns (10-15 pages)
Topics:
-
Distributed session management
- Session storage (Redis, FoundationDB)
- Session replication
- Session affinity
-
Context propagation
- Request context (headers, metadata)
- Distributed tracing (Jaeger, Zipkin)
- Correlation IDs
-
Cross-component workflows
- Workflow engines (Temporal, Airflow)
- State machines
- Saga pattern
-
Unified activity logs
- Event aggregation
- Timeline construction
- Search and filtering
Phase 1D: Marketplace and Pricing Research (Days 6-7)
Deliverable: Marketplace models and pricing strategies (15-20 pages)
Topics:
-
Component Marketplaces
- Discovery mechanisms
- Installation and updates
- Dependency management
- Quality curation
- Rating systems
- Developer onboarding
-
Pricing Models
- À la carte pricing
- Bundle pricing
- Tiered pricing
- Usage-based pricing
- Freemium strategies
- Enterprise custom pricing
-
Customer Selection
- Component picker UIs
- Use case recommendations
- Bundle templates
- Trial and migration paths
Deliverables
1. Research Findings Document (50-70 pages)
Structure:
- Executive Summary (3-5 pages)
- Product Suite Case Studies (20-30 pages)
- Technical Architecture Patterns (20-30 pages)
- Unified Memory and Context (10-15 pages)
- Marketplace and Pricing Models (15-20 pages)
- Recommendations for CODITECT (5-10 pages)
- References and Resources (2-5 pages)
2. Best Practices Catalog (20-30 pages)
Categories:
- Component Boundary Design
- Integration Patterns
- Data Sharing Strategies
- Versioning and Compatibility
- Security and Sandboxing
- Performance Optimization
- Customer Experience
- Pricing and Monetization
3. Architecture Pattern Library (15-20 pages)
Visual Diagrams:
- Component composition patterns
- Service mesh architecture
- Micro-frontend integration
- Event bus topology
- Distributed session management
- Plugin lifecycle
- Marketplace architecture
4. Recommendations Document (10-15 pages)
For CODITECT:
- Recommended architecture approach
- Component categorization strategy
- Integration pattern selection
- Data layer architecture
- MEMORY-CONTEXT integration approach
- Marketplace design
- Pricing model recommendations
- Implementation priorities
- Risk mitigation strategies
Research Sources
Industry Reports and Whitepapers
- Gartner: Application Architecture trends
- Forrester: Enterprise Software Suites
- ThoughtWorks Technology Radar
- Martin Fowler: Microservices patterns
- Netflix Tech Blog
- Uber Engineering Blog
- Airbnb Engineering Blog
Technical Documentation
- Adobe Developer Documentation
- Microsoft Architecture Center
- Atlassian Developer Guides
- AWS Well-Architected Framework
- Google Cloud Architecture Framework
Books and Publications
- "Building Microservices" by Sam Newman
- "Micro Frontends in Action" by Michael Geers
- "Domain-Driven Design" by Eric Evans
- "Enterprise Integration Patterns" by Gregor Hohpe
Open Source Projects
- Single-SPA (micro-frontends)
- Lerna (monorepo management)
- Nx (monorepo tooling)
- Backstage (Spotify's developer portal)
Success Criteria
Completeness
- 10+ product suite case studies completed
- 20+ technical architecture patterns documented
- 10+ marketplace models analyzed
- 5+ pricing strategies compared
- All 8 research questions answered
Depth
- Each case study includes architecture diagrams
- Technical patterns include code examples where applicable
- Recommendations are specific and actionable
- Trade-offs clearly articulated
Applicability
- Patterns mapped to CODITECT requirements
- Implementation complexity assessed
- Cost-benefit analysis for each approach
- Quick wins vs long-term investments identified
Quality
- All sources cited and referenced
- Visual diagrams for all architecture patterns
- Consistent formatting and structure
- Executive summary suitable for leadership presentation
Timeline
| Day | Activity | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Product suite research (Adobe, Microsoft, Atlassian) | 3-4 case studies |
| Day 2 | Product suite research (Google, JetBrains, Salesforce) | 4-5 case studies |
| Day 3 | Microservices and micro-frontends research | Architecture patterns catalog (Part 1) |
| Day 4 | Event-driven and data management research | Architecture patterns catalog (Part 2) |
| Day 5 | Unified memory and context research | Context management patterns |
| Day 6 | Marketplace and pricing research | Marketplace models document |
| Day 7 | Synthesis and recommendations | Final research findings document |
Agent Coordination
Web Search Researcher Agent Tasks
Task 1: Product Suite Case Studies
Research successful product suite architectures (Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft 365,
Atlassian Suite, etc.) and document:
- Component architecture and boundaries
- Integration patterns
- Data sharing approaches
- Customer selection processes
- Pricing models
- Key success factors and lessons learned
Task 2: Technical Architecture Patterns
Research microservices composition, micro-frontends, event-driven architectures,
and plugin systems. Document:
- Architecture patterns with diagrams
- Integration strategies
- Data consistency patterns
- Security and sandboxing
- Performance optimization
- Code examples where applicable
Task 3: Unified Memory and Context
Research distributed session management, context propagation, and cross-component
workflow tracking. Document:
- Session storage patterns
- Context propagation techniques
- Distributed tracing
- Workflow engines
- Activity log aggregation
Task 4: Marketplace and Pricing
Research component marketplaces (WordPress, Shopify, Salesforce) and pricing models.
Document:
- Discovery and installation mechanisms
- Quality curation strategies
- Pricing models (à la carte, bundles, tiered)
- Customer selection UIs
- Developer onboarding
Task 5: Synthesis and Recommendations
Synthesize all research findings and create actionable recommendations for CODITECT:
- Recommended architecture approach
- Component categorization strategy
- Integration patterns
- MEMORY-CONTEXT integration
- Marketplace design
- Pricing model
- Implementation priorities
Next Steps After Phase 1
Upon completion of Phase 1 research:
-
Present findings to stakeholders
- Executive summary presentation
- Architecture recommendations
- Budget and timeline estimates
- Go/no-go decision
-
Begin Phase 2: Unified Data Model Design
- Use research findings to inform data model
- Engage senior-architect and foundationdb-expert agents
- Design MEMORY-CONTEXT integration specification
-
Update orchestration plan
- Refine timeline based on research findings
- Adjust budget estimates
- Identify additional risks and mitigations
Document Status
Version: 1.0 Status: Active - Research In Progress Created: 2025-11-26 Owner: Web Search Researcher Agent Next Review: End of Day 7 (Research Complete)
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