What is MACH Architecture?

Home > Glossary > MACH Architecture

MACH Architecture is a modern ecommerce and digital experience approach based on four principles: Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless. Instead of relying on a single monolithic platform, MACH-compliant solutions are built from independent services that communicate via APIs, run in the cloud, and deliver experiences through decoupled (headless) front ends.

In ecommerce, MACH is often used to create flexible, scalable stacks that can evolve quickly—especially for multi-brand, multi-region, and enterprise B2B programs. It supports composable commerce strategies by making it easier to add, replace, or upgrade capabilities like search, CMS, PIM, OMS, checkout, and personalization without rebuilding everything.

Key points:

• Microservices: independent services for specific business capabilities (e.g., pricing, promotions, search)

• API-first: every capability is exposed and integrated through APIs (often REST/GraphQL)

• Cloud-native: designed for elastic scaling, resilience, and continuous delivery in cloud environments

• Headless: front end is decoupled, enabling omnichannel experiences and faster UX iteration

• Enables a composable stack with less vendor lock-in and faster modernization

Example: A brand runs catalog and pricing as microservices, uses a headless storefront for web and mobile, hosts services in the cloud, and integrates search + CMS via APIs—so each component can be upgraded independently.