Micro Frontends Architecture with Module Federation · Lesson

Singleton Modules & Versioning

Understand how to ensure only a single instance of a module is loaded and manage version conflicts.

Singleton Modules & Versioning is a free Micro Frontends Architecture with Module Federation lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 2 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Micro Frontends Architecture with Module Federation learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

What are Singleton Modules?

In Micro Frontend architectures, a singleton module is a piece of code or a library that should only ever exist as a single instance across your entire application, even if multiple Micro Frontends try to load it.

Think of it as a unique resource that all parts of your system need to share consistently.

Ensures a single source of truth.
Prevents conflicting states or behaviors.

Why Singletons Matter for MFEs

Imagine multiple Micro Frontends (MFEs) all loading their own copy of a UI library like React, or a state management library like Redux.

Without singletons, you could end up with:

Multiple instances of React Context, breaking component communication.
Separate Redux stores, leading to inconsistent application state.
Increased bundle size due to duplicate code.

Singletons solve these issues by guaranteeing a unified dependency.

Implementing Singletons with MF

Module Federation makes it easy to declare shared modules as singletons using the singleton: true option in your Webpack configuration.

When this is set, Webpack ensures that only one version of the specified module is loaded and used by all federated applications (hosts and remotes) at runtime.

Code: Configuring a Singleton

Here's how you'd configure a shared module, like react, to be a singleton in your webpack.config.js:

const { ModuleFederationPlugin } = require('webpack').container;

module.exports = {
  // ... other Webpack config
  plugins: [
    new ModuleFederationPlugin({
      name: 'host_app',
      remotes: {},
      shared: {
        react: {
          singleton: true, // Only one React instance allowed
          requiredVersion: '^18.0.0',
        },
        'react-dom': {
          singleton: true, // Only one ReactDOM instance allowed
          requiredVersion: '^18.0.0',
        },
      },
    }),
  ],
};

Understanding Shared Module Versioning

Beyond ensuring a single *instance* (singleton), you also need to manage which *version* of a shared module gets loaded.

What if one MFE needs React v17 and another needs React v18? Module Federation has mechanisms to handle these version conflicts and ensure compatibility or gracefully fail.

`requiredVersion` for Specificity

The requiredVersion option in the shared configuration allows you to specify the semantic version (semver) range that your application expects for a shared module.

Webpack will try to find a compatible version among the host and remote applications. If a compatible version is found, it's used. If not, it might load a fallback or throw an error, depending on other settings.

Code: Specifying Required Versions

Here's how you might define a requiredVersion for a shared library:

const { ModuleFederationPlugin } = require('webpack').container;

module.exports = {
  // ...
  plugins: [
    new ModuleFederationPlugin({
      // ...
      shared: {
        lodash: {
          singleton: false,
          requiredVersion: '^4.17.21', // Any version compatible with 4.17.21
        },
        moment: {
          singleton: true,
          requiredVersion: '2.29.1', // Exactly version 2.29.1
        },
      },
    }),
  ],
};

`strictVersion: true` for Strictness

While requiredVersion guides version selection, strictVersion: true enforces it rigorously.

If strictVersion: true is enabled and a remote module requests a version that is incompatible with the host's requiredVersion (or the version already loaded), Module Federation will throw an error and prevent the application from loading. This prevents unexpected behavior from version mismatches.

Code: Enforcing Strict Versioning

Combining singleton, requiredVersion, and strictVersion for critical dependencies:

const { ModuleFederationPlugin } = require('webpack').container;

module.exports = {
  // ...
  plugins: [
    new ModuleFederationPlugin({
      // ...
      shared: {
        react: {
          singleton: true,
          requiredVersion: '^18.0.0',
          strictVersion: true, // Fail if versions are incompatible
        },
        // ... other shared modules
      },
    }),
  ],
};

Best Practices for Shared Dependencies

To effectively manage singleton modules and versioning:

Use Semantic Versioning (SemVer): Adhere to major.minor.patch for all shared modules.
Communicate: Ensure teams are aware of shared module updates and version requirements.
Test Compatibility: Regularly test your federated applications to ensure shared modules work across all remotes and hosts.
Be Strategic: Not all shared modules need to be singletons or have strict versioning. Apply these settings thoughtfully based on the module's criticality.

Quick Check: Singleton & Versioning

When configuring shared modules in Module Federation, what are the primary benefits of using singleton: true and strictVersion: true?

Recap & Next Steps

You've now learned about singleton modules and versioning in Module Federation!

Singleton modules ensure only one instance of a shared dependency exists across your federated application, crucial for stateful libraries.
The requiredVersion and strictVersion options help manage compatibility and prevent issues arising from conflicting module versions.

These techniques are vital for building robust and predictable Micro Frontend applications.

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Singleton Modules & Versioning” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Singleton Modules & Versioning” is free to read here on the web, and the Micro Frontends Architecture with Module Federation course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Micro Frontends Architecture with Module Federation course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Singleton Modules & Versioning”?

Understand how to ensure only a single instance of a module is loaded and manage version conflicts. You practise Micro Frontends Architecture with Module Federation with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start Micro Frontends Architecture with Module Federation?

No prior experience is required. Micro Frontends Architecture with Module Federation on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 2 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Singleton Modules & Versioning” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this Micro Frontends Architecture with Module Federation lesson?

Yes. Every Micro Frontends Architecture with Module Federation lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

All lessons in this course

Consuming Shared Dependencies
Singleton Modules & Versioning
Dynamic Module Loading
Sharing State and Utilities Across Remotes

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