Microsoft is revolutionizing web development by introducing micro frontends, a concept that breaks down monolithic code into smaller, manageable components. This approach, first discussed in 2016, allows different development teams to work on specific components, streamlining development and making it easier to build and maintain web applications. Microsoft's web frameworks and libraries, such as ASP.NET Core and Blazor, are laying the groundwork for this new generation of web applications.

The traditional monolithic approach to web development has been a bottleneck, slowing down development and making it difficult to implement changes quickly. By breaking down a web page into functional components, developers can work on specific elements, such as search functions, shopping carts, or navigation, without affecting the entire application. This approach also enables the development of expertise in specific domains, rather than specific applications.

Microsoft has been using the micro frontends approach internally in Azure, and is now investing in ways to bring this approach to familiar development tools and frameworks. ASP.NET Core's View Components, for example, can be used to host micro frontends, allowing developers to pass data to a View Component without model binding. Microsoft has also developed its own React library to deliver micro frontends, written in TypeScript and available on GitHub.

The micro frontends approach is technology agnostic, meaning that developers can use their choice of tools and frameworks to build components. The DOM and web components specification are the glue that holds components together, allowing for a high degree of flexibility and customization. This approach also enables progressive migration of functionality from HTML and JavaScript to WebAssembly, using frameworks like Blazor to host, link, and manage WebAssembly components.

Azure provides a range of tools and services to support micro frontends, including Azure Static Web Apps, which allows for the publishing of static content to Azure, and Azure Front Door, which provides a content delivery network (CDN) to cache static content and manage site content. Azure's CDN tool is particularly useful for micro frontends, as it allows for the caching of components and ensures that users receive the latest updates.

The benefits of micro frontends are numerous, including faster development, easier maintenance, and improved performance. By breaking down monolithic code into smaller components, developers can work more efficiently and effectively, and organizations can benefit from a more agile and responsive development process. As Microsoft continues to invest in micro frontends, it's likely that we'll see a significant shift in the way web applications are developed and maintained.

In conclusion, Microsoft's push for micro frontends is a significant development in the world of web development. By breaking down monolithic code into manageable components, developers can work more efficiently, and organizations can benefit from faster development, easier maintenance, and improved performance. As the industry continues to evolve, it's likely that micro frontends will play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of web development.