AOE Technology Radar #7

We would like to share realistic practical experience with you in our radar. "One size fits all" does not always apply. There are patterns that fit perfectly in some projects, but unfortunately don't work at all in others and have led to more complexity than benefits. This is why we have added pros and cons to individual articles, e.g. micro frontends or monorepo, so that you can weigh up whether it makes sense to use them based on your individual requirements. In this way, you can avoid solutions that end up being much more complex than the initial problem, simply because you have used a tool that is currently being hyped without reflection. After all, the latest trend doesn't always suit your project.

We have also comprehensively updated the frontend frameworks section in release #7. All frameworks have individual advantages and disadvantages which makes it difficult for developers to decide in favour of one. To help you make the right choice, the AOE Tech Radar allows you to familiarise yourself in detail with new features of Next.js, Vue.js, TypeScript and Angular, among others, so that you can choose one that meets your needs and goals for the development of your web applications.

The paradigm shift associated with React Server Components runs like a red thread through the React ecosystem and also through this release of our AOE Technology Radar. Previously in the user's browser, applications are now rendered on the server and changes are then streamed to the client. This saves resources, but also means that patterns such as CSS-in-JS can no longer be implemented at runtime as before. As a result, popular tools such as Stitches are no longer being developed further (which is why we have put them on hold). At this point, it is important for us not to view individual entries in the radar in isolation, but to place them in a holistic context, i.e. to present changes and their effects on other areas and make them transparent by means of links.

AI-assisted software development is no longer a dream of the future, but a reality of the present. In the AOE Technology Radar, you will find an overview article on the most common AI-assisted code generation tools such as GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, or Llama, and the advantages that can result from adding them to your development arsenal. This exciting topic will certainly be a high priority in the coming issues of our AOE Technology Radar. As part of the AOE Academy, we offer training courses on AI-assisted programming to spread the know-how throughout our organization. We plan to make these training courses available to external parties soon.

In the Green IT section, we look at sustainable software development and realise that it can not only be an ethical imperative, but also a competitive advantage. By using architectural patterns that prioritise sustainability and optimising code, we can minimise energy consumption and contribute to a greener digital future. It is important to make conscientious decisions at every stage of the software development lifecycle to ensure that we develop sustainable solutions. Adopting best practices in operations is another important step in making our software more sustainable. Together, we can have a positive impact on the environment and be commercially successful at the same time.

This topic is so important to us at AOE that we have launched an event series Sustainable Future .digital: The Event on Sustainability & Digitalisation | Sustainable Future (sustainable-future.digital), which is enjoying growing popularity. We are already planning an onsite event for the fourth time next year.