NRF 2025: Retail’s Big Show&nbsp;is coming back to New York, and you're invited to join us for an exclusive drinks reception on Monday, January 13 at 5:30 pm, just a short walk from Javits where we will be launching our 2025 Global Annual Research Report. Enjoy the ambience of <a href="https://www.cedricsattheshed.com/" target="_blank">Cedric's At the Shed</a> as you get a first look at our latest industry research,&nbsp;gain valuable market insights, and connect with MACH members and fellow industry leaders who are shaping the future of retail. Registration has now closed

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Event Highlights</h2> <ul><li>2025 Global Annual Research Launch: Get early access to the latest findings that will influence the MACH community and the retail industry.</li><li>Networking Opportunities: Connect with thought leaders and fellow industry professionals in a relaxed and inspiring setting.</li><li>Drinks and Refreshments: Enjoy a selection of drinks as you mingle and discuss the future of retail and MACH. </li><li>Venue: <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/brbH9fQiWTAYRfeY9" target="_blank">Cedric's at The Shed</a> - 545 W 30th Street, New York NY 10001 (a short <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/N5iyB7GGPhEiRqF49https://maps.app.goo.gl/N5iyB7GGPhEiRqF49" target="_blank">7min walk</a> from Javits) Date &amp; Time: January 13, 5:30-8:30pmET</li></ul>

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Global Annual Research 2025</h2> Get ready to dive into the future of digital transformation as we launch our highly anticipated 2025 Global Annual Research at NRF in New York. Building on last year’s findings, this year’s report offers new insights into how composable and MACH technologies are reshaping industries across the globe, and the topics that are top of mind for Business Leaders and Technologists alike. Discover how organizations are harnessing MACH to drive innovation, boost operational resilience, and achieve meaningful ROI—even in uncertain economic times. We will also be discussing the challenges that modern businesses are facing as part of their digital strategies, and how to address them.

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Curious about the latest developments in the world of MACH and how it's revolutionizing the retail industry? Then you’ve come to the right place. 

Access the 2025 Global Annual Research Report

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MACH @ NRF: Global Annual Research Launch

Author: Meriel Neighbour, Programme Director,Boots UKDigital transformation can feel overwhelming. The path from legacy systems to a modern, agile architecture presents countless decision points, each with far-reaching implications for your business. But here's the game-changer: hundreds of experienced practitioners stand ready to support you, sharing insights that transform isolated challenges into collective wisdom.The most successful organizations implementing MACH (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless) aren't figuring it out in isolation—they're tapping into a global community of experts who have already tackled these challenges. This knowledge sharing creates a powerful acceleration effect that reduces risk, shortens timelines, and improves outcomes.

<h3>Learning from Those Who've Done It Before </h3>Our global MACH community has grown to over 10,000 strong, creating an unprecedented knowledge base that spans industries, technologies, and transformation approaches. This collective expertise becomes your strategic advantage.In my own experience leading digital transformation at Clarks, I witnessed firsthand how MACH became a game-changer for our entire business. The principles allowed us to scale globally, innovate quickly, and truly connect our physical and digital channels—creating the foundation for delivering exceptional customer experiences in every market we serve.This community-driven approach delivers three essential capabilities to businesses embarking on digital transformation:First, it provides strategic clarity on where to begin and what to prioritize, helping leadership teams and architects gain confidence in their transformation roadmap. Second, it offers practical guidance on team structure, implementation approaches, and technology selection through structured educational initiatives like rideMACH, where practitioners learn and develop together in collaborative cohorts. Finally, it establishes a foundation for measuring success through proven KPIs and benchmarks, ensuring your transformation delivers tangible business value.

<h3>Leveraging Community at Every Stage </h3>The MACH community serves as an extension of your team throughout your transformation journey:Ambassadors and certified experts offer candid advice on pitfalls to watch for, helping you avoid technical debt and rework. The community provides forums to discuss everything from C-suite buy-in strategies to the nuts and bolts of architecture selection. And when you're ready to move from transformation to operational status, peers who've made this transition share invaluable insights on change management.Through programs like <a href="https://machalliance.org/ridemach" target="_blank">rideMACH</a> and <a href="https://machalliance.org/mach-architect-certification" target="_blank">MACH Architect Certification</a>, teams can accelerate their capability development, gaining confidence in complex implementation phases. We're also developing a new AI community space—a place where peers can help each other bring agile AI safely into enterprise tech. Think of it as a casual forum where you can learn how others are implementing AI in practical, responsible ways while building on their MACH foundations.

<h3>Beyond Taking Advice: Becoming Part of the Story </h3>Engagement with the MACH community isn't just about receiving guidance—it's about collaborative growth. As your team gains expertise, your experiences become valuable contributions to others. Many organizations find that sharing their transformation stories enhances their brand credibility and establishes team members as respected voices in the digital innovation space.The truly connected nature of this community creates a continuous cycle of learning and sharing that benefits everyone involved. We're building a foundation that not only addresses today's implementation challenges but positions the entire ecosystem for continuous evolution as technologies and consumer expectations change.This approach transforms isolated work into a shared journey. In today's digital landscape, community becomes your strongest asset. <h3>Join the Conversation</h3><h3></h3>The MACH Alliance exists to facilitate these connections. Whether you're just starting to explore modern architecture or you're well into implementation, there's a place for you in this community of forward-thinking digital leaders.Together, we're building practical solutions and sharing real experiences that make digital transformation achievable for everyone.<hr/><h3 style="text-align: center;">Meet Meriel and connect with the MACH community in person at The Composable Conference, April 22–24 in Chicago</h3>*LIMITED SPACE*<div style="text-align: center;margin-top: 20px;"><a href="https://bit.ly/4c6maub" style="display: inline-block;background-color: #F0C23D;color: black;padding: 12px 24px;font-size: 16px;font-weight: bold;text-decoration: none;border-radius: 8px;box-shadow: 0px 2px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);" target="_blank">Register Now</a></div><div style="text-align: center;margin-top: 20px;"></div><hr/>

<h3>Author:</h3><h3></h3><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/meriel-neighbour-31514b14/" target="_blank"><img width="584" alt="Meriel_card.png" src="https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltb9eff0ec0532965e/blt82d3e3993f05ae5c/67e2cfc7914c249200497dd0/Meriel_card.png" height="271" target="_blank" style="max-width: 584px;width: 584px;height: 271px;"/></a>

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You Don't Have to Do This Alone: The Power of the Global MACH Community

Author: Mark Demeny, Technology Analyst - MACH Alliance<h2>Composable comes of age in the Gartner DXP Magic Quadrant</h2>Gartner recently released their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gartner.com/doc/reprints?id=1-2K0LH2I7&ct=250122&st=sb">2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Digital Experience Platforms</a>&nbsp;(DXP MQ) report which highlighted several trends around composability that the MACH Alliance has advocated for years.&nbsp;It is worth noting that four out of five vendors new to the report are MACH Alliance members - and this is not surprising given the overall trend towards composability.These include:&nbsp;<ul><li><a href="https://machalliance.org/members/builderio">Builder.io</a></li><li><a href="https://machalliance.org/members/contentful">Contentful</a></li><li><a href="https://machalliance.org/members/contentstack">Contentstack</a></li><li><a href="https://machalliance.org/members/uniform">Uniform</a></li></ul>While these vendors are not new, it is only recently that the DXP criteria has included composability as a key requirement. The report itself notes:&nbsp;“By 2026, at least 70% of organizations will be mandated to acquire composable DXP technology, as opposed to monolithic DXP suites, compared to 50% in 2023.”And as a result, one of the new mandatory capabilities for inclusion is:&nbsp;“A composable architecture for modular and API-first approaches, with a set (or sets) of discrete, task-oriented and independently deployable packaged business capabilities (PBCs).”In practice, assembling a digital experience platform has typically been portrayed as a binary “build vs. buy” choice - you either buy one off the shelf that has everything you need, or you build/assemble one yourself.&nbsp;The DXP MQ typically favored vendors that provided comprehensive solutions, as many standalone options lacked key MACH principles - especially in terms of API breadth and depth. As a result, these standalone vendors were often harder for enterprises to integrate and were subsequently overlooked by the buyers that Gartner caters to.In 2025, composability has become a mandatory requirement. Suite vendors are more API-centric, making it (sometimes) easier for end-users to purchase individual platform elements. Meanwhile, smaller technology vendors are building or acquiring more of these platform components themselves (with Contentful acquiring Ninetailed and Contentstack acquiring CDP vendor, Lytics).&nbsp;&nbsp;While past DXP MQ reports often highlighted vendors with similar functionality and approaches, this year's edition showcases a much wider variety of solutions and strategies. Vendors may share some common criteria, but their approaches to building a digital experience platform can vary considerably. This diversity is one of the more intriguing aspects of the current DXP market landscape.The traditional content management suite vendors typically offer a range of capabilities, including content creation, hosting, personalization, and digital asset management. However, we're also seeing some vendors take quite different approaches. Some, like Contentful and Contentstack, prioritize core content management functions, while others, such as Uniform and Builder.io, focus more on assembling content and components into a cohesive digital experience.Choosing a composable approach validates a core MACH principle - that varied business needs often drive this decision. Even when assembling common functions like content management, personalization, and page layout, your organizational priorities will determine which vendor solutions are "anchor" applications central to your implementation strategy, versus those that are adjacent or "good enough" as part of a bundled offering.&nbsp;The ease with which technology vendors can collaborate is a key indicator of "true" composability - a core requirement for MACH Alliance membership. Alliance members must demonstrate their ability to seamlessly work together. It's one thing to claim that a 'core function' can be handed off to another vendor, such as a CMS integrating with a DAM or personalization engine. But the true test is whether members have repeatedly proven their capacity for such smooth, effortless integration.Given the importance around composability, the MACH Alliance has an <a href="https://machalliance.org/interoperability-in-technology" target="_blank">information hub around Interoperability</a> which provides resources around understanding composable approaches - including an <a href="https://machalliance.org/insights-hub/phase-ii-of-the-mach-alliance-interoperability-standards">overview to the topic</a>, but also whitepapers on <a href="https://register.machalliance.org/hubfs/Interoperability/Interoperability%20part%201.pdf" target="_blank">how to evaluate and integrate composable solutions</a> (PDF), as well as <a href="https://register.machalliance.org/hubfs/Interoperability/MACH%20Alliance_Interoperability%20White%20Paper_Part%203_final.pdf" target="_blank">understanding the key architectural concepts and patterns</a> (PDF).You can download a free copy of the report via MACH Alliance members <a href="https://www.uniform.dev/resources/gartner-magic-quadrant-for-digital-experience-platforms">Uniform</a> and <a href="https://www.contentstack.com/resources/report/gartner-magic-quadrant-dxp">Contentstack</a>

<img src="https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltb9eff0ec0532965e/bltc298ef3ba041481c/67ae24c270ce6305e638b39c/Mark_Demeny_Tech_Analyst.png" alt="Mark_Demeny_Tech_Analyst.png" height="auto"/>Keywords: composable, composability, DXP, digital experience platforms, API, digital transformation, omnichannel, microservices

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Composable comes of age in the Gartner DXP Magic Quadrant

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