Composable vs. monolithic: The architecture decision that will define your digital future

Today’s digital landscape is more complex than ever

New channels, personalization, and AI-driven interfaces have pushed organizations to modernize how they deliver digital experiences. At the same time, security, data sovereignty, and accessibility requirements have never been stricter.

The combination of rising expectations and tighter compliance is forcing a rethink of traditional architectures. The challenge is no longer whether to evolve, but how.

Every organization eventually faces the same question: do you keep control through one unified system or gain flexibility through a modular one? The model you choose determines how well you can adapt, scale, and innovate over time.

For years, most organizations relied on monolithic platforms: a single, unified system handling everything from content management to integrations. But as digital ecosystems grew, spanning websites, apps, CRMs, and marketing automation, tightly coupled systems began to slow innovation.

Now, composable architectures are reshaping the model. Instead of being bound to one vendor or codebase, teams can assemble modular, API-connected capabilities that evolve independently. This shift is redefining how digital experiences are built and maintained.

Monolithic vs. Composable: What’s the difference?

The difference between monolithic and composable architectures comes down to control versus flexibility. Both models have their strengths, but the one you choose determines how easily your organization can evolve.

How a monolithic architecture works

A monolithic architecture is built around a single platform. All capabilities, from content management and personalization to forms and analytics, are contained within one tightly coupled environment.

This model typically promises predictability and stability:

• One entry point: letting you easily find where to go to get things done.
• Consistent user interface (UI): you’ll only learn things once and can apply the same rules for different solutions or digital experiences.
• Cohesive functionality: things just work. Everything is designed to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, making it easy for you to do what you want.
• Centralized governance: One vendor, one environment, one update path.
• Consistent performance: Every capability is tested and optimized together.
• Built-in compliance: Easier to manage accessibility, security, and data privacy in one place.
• Assumption-friendly: because things work consistently, you can easily make assumptions about how things are meant to be done/will function on the front end.

But there are drawbacks to monolithic DXPs, too:

• Vendor lock-in: monolithic DXPs make it really hard to combine new tech with the tech you’ve got.
• Forget about scaling: think one for all or all for none. It’s difficult to scale individual components, while it’s hard (and expensive) to maintain, and can see performance issues as you grow.
• Upgrades are big and risky: because changes must be rolled out across the entire platform, upgrades come with significant risks to performance, functionality, and security.

How a composable architecture works

A composable architecture, by contrast, breaks functionality into independent, API-connected capabilities. Each service, whether it’s a CMS, search engine, or form builder, can evolve on its own without disrupting the rest of the system.

This modern way of building digital experiences is based on the MACH principles:

• Microservices: These are small, independent services or systems that each perform a specific function. By breaking up a larger application into smaller, more manageable pieces, developers can make changes and updates more easily, securely and without affecting the entire system.
• API-first: Microservices communicate with each other using APIs, so developers can create a more flexible and scalable system that can be easily integrated with other applications.
• Cloud-native: Cloud-native applications are designed to run on cloud platforms like AWS or Google Cloud. This means they can take advantage of cloud-based services like auto-scaling, load balancing, and containerization.
• Headless: The concept of headless involves decoupling the front-end, or user interface, from the back-end. This means developers can build and experiment with new front-end experiences without worrying about how they will impact the underlying back-end systems.

This approach brings a different kind of strength:

• Agility: Swap or upgrade tools without needing a full replatform.
• Scalability: Expand across regions, audiences, or microsites easily.
• Integration freedom: Connect best-of-breed tools to existing systems.

Finding the right balance

Composable and monolithic architectures each have clear advantages and limitations.
Composable offers freedom, speed, and scalability, but without the right guardrails, it can also increase complexity. Monoliths, meanwhile, provide control and stability but can limit experimentation and agility.

The reality is that every organization needs to strike its own, ideal balance. Most companies are looking for the reliability and governance of a traditional monolith provider, as well as the flexibility of composability.

The table below outlines how these models typically compare across key dimensions and why most teams ultimately benefit from a hybrid or composable DXP that delivers the best of both worlds:

The table below outlines how these models typically compare across key dimensions and why most teams ultimately benefit from a hybrid or composable DXP that delivers the best of both worlds:

As you can probably tell, the key is choosing a platform that supports both, allowing you to innovate without losing oversight and governance.

Where Digital Experience Platforms fit in

A composable Digital Experience Platform (DXP) offers the best of both worlds: the stability and governance of a unified platform, and the flexibility of modular, API-driven architecture.

Not all DXPs are composable. Some are built as traditional monoliths that prioritize control and simplicity, while others, like Squiz DXP, are designed to combine both approaches, giving organizations freedom to innovate without losing oversight.

Squiz DXP brings together the tools that power modern web experiences — content management, search, personalization, analytics, and more — into a single, connected ecosystem.

This completely shifts the way you create digital experiences and interact with users. Greater freedom and sophistication from a DXP helps you have real conversations with your users, personalize your offering to them and create a ‘connected’ experience for them across your digital channels.

A composable digital experience platform uses a modular approach to offer a dynamic, ‘choose-your-own-adventure’ approach to crafting digital experiences with best-of-breed tools. Core technologies of a composable DXP solution – like content management, forms, search, optimization, customer data, digital asset management,  analytics, and more – can live within a single, secure platform, and yet remain API-connected so they can work seamlessly alongside your existing tools and data systems.

In short, a DXP defines what you manage (your content, users, and data), while its composability defines how you manage it (flexibly, securely, and at scale).

What are the business benefits of a composable DXP?

A composable DXP strategy provides you with the flexibility to adapt your digital experience design without the constraints of a traditional monolithic platform.

Each capability is designed to be loosely coupled and independently deployable, making it easier to update, modify, or replace specific tools without affecting the rest of your customer experience.

• Tech freedom: Remove the shackles of committing to one vendor. With some composable DXPs, all the potential capabilities are available to you – simply choose to implement what you need. Handpick capabilities like your CMS, customer data platform (CDP), e-commerce platform, optimization tools, and analytics tools from individual vendors to customize your DXP. Say goodbye to drawn-out upgrades or the need to re-platform.
• Faster implementation: The ability to switch capabilities in and out quickly helps your organization stay agile to business or technology changes. This  means you can incorporate testing and analysis more easily into your digital management. Meanwhile, by using a headless architecture, a composable DXP can separate the front-end user interface from the back-end services and content, allowing developers to build and experiment with new front-end experiences without affecting the underlying back-end systems. This can significantly reduce development time and improve the overall user experience.
• Scalable and future-proofing: The MACH architecture of composable DXPs allows you to adapt to changing demands and seamlessly integrate new technologies as you scale up.
• Connected experiences: By packaging up multiple 3rd-party tools into one platform, a composable DXP approach helps create unified experiences in the backend as well as for the end user. Composable DXPs use APIs, microservices, or other integration methods to make sure data exchange between the various capabilities is seamless, creating a unified and connected ecosystem.
• Cost-effective: The ability to scale or remove individual components of your DXP can save costs, while you can quickly build, test, and deploy new features and services, and respond to changing requirements or user needs more easily, which can result in lower costs and improved ROI.
• Enhanced user experiences: Since all your tools talk to each other, you can offer richer customer journeys to your users. The scalability of composable architecture, your ability to quickly test, build and release new capabilities, and the ability to reuse back-end functionality across multiple channels and devices through headless architecture all combine to create personalized, smooth user experiences.

How to evaluate your readiness for a composable DXP and select the right solution

The level of composability that vendors offer differs.

Some vendors may prioritize interoperability, while others will prioritize security, performance, or ease of use. Some vendors will rely on more open-source development of their platform, which comes with some great advantages (often cheaper, come with more accessible community support, and are typically very flexible), while others are more proprietary, which can allow them to specialize in certain areas.

When it comes to composable architecture there is a spectrum of capabilities. A highly composable platform may offer greater flexibility and customization options, but may also require more technical expertise and resources to implement and maintain. On the other hand, a less composable platform may offer simpler integration options and ease-of-use but may be more limited in terms of flexibility and customization.

Ultimately, you’ll need to consider your business goals when deciding on the level of composability you need, balancing these against other factors like cost, scalability, and security.

Things to consider:

• True interoperability: a vendor should have an extensive list of integration partners that are centralized, and can help you find pre-built integrations that are right for your needs. Ask the vendor what testing and validation processes they have for integrations, so you know that integrations will work as expected and won’t introduce errors into your system.
• Governance and management: how centralized will the management of your architecture be, from integrations through to security? You want to be able to manage and monitor all aspects of the digital experience from a single location. This should include features such as user management, content management, access control, and analytics. Check that the composable DXP offers strong security features to protect against threats such as cyberattacks and data breaches.
• Freely available tools or downgrades/upgrades: a vendor shouldn’t artificially limit composability by implementing unfair fees to promote their own stack. A vendor should provide transparent pricing and documentation as well as the features and tools that are included in their pricing.

Composable DXP use case examples

The University of the Sunshine Coast has undergone a significant digital transformation with the help of a composable DXP platform provided by Squiz. By leveraging our platform, the university has been able to create highly personalized experiences for students and staff alike. The new platform has enabled the university to streamline its digital operations, improve student engagement and retention, and enhance the overall quality of the university's digital services.

The university’s portal has integrated and unified all of the systems the students require access to. The centerpiece of the portal is a calendar that integrates the university’s student information system, Peoplesoft, the learning management system, Canvas, and the appointment and event booking system, Career Hub.

Representatives of the 15,000 students were heavily consulted to understand their needs and challenges with the existing system. This research found that students struggled to navigate through the ocean of information, portals, and emails – prompting a decision to migrate toward a DXP.

Across the globe, universities are increasingly migrating to DXP architectures to offer both students and faculty a seamless, personalized digital experience. Universities by nature have a complex web of portals, email systems, Learning Management Systems, library catalogs, and research tools that can benefit from the centralization and personalization that composable DXPs can offer.

Where is composable DXP tech headed?

The conversation around composable architecture is quickly shifting away from the role of individual capabilities, like abstraction layers or Customer Data Platforms, to a conversation around how AI will shape digital experiences in the future.

AI is positioned to transform all aspects of DXPs – think of its ability to quickly analyze data and create recommendations on these, while even acting on these recommendations for you. This idea of automation also stands to dramatically improve the responsiveness of a DXP.

Composable DXPs are only beginning to show their full potential. Your architecture choices shape how quickly you can use AI’s power to drive more scalable, personalized, and connected digital experiences.

Ready to explore the power of a composable DXP for your organization? Book a 30-minute consultation with a Squiz expert to discover how you can combine the flexibility of composable design with the governance of a unified platform.