The MACH Principles
The MACH Principles are the framework for building enterprise technology that is open, composable, and connected. They define what it means to build architecture that humans can extend, agents can operate across, and organizations can evolve without starting over.
AI delivers at scale only when the architecture underneath it is built to move. Organizations that get this right are already pulling ahead.
Three principles. One direction: build to move.
The MACH Principles:
Open is about what the system is made of — and whether humans and agents can see it, trust it, and verify it.
Every component is documented, independently observable, and portable. Nothing is hidden behind vendor walls. Standards-based and interoperable by design, an open architecture means your technology can be audited, integrated, and replaced without negotiation. When agents need to act across your stack, they can see every layer. When you need to move, nothing locks you in.
What this means in practice: transparent APIs, observable services, portable data, and no dependency on a single vendor's roadmap.
Composable means capabilities you can assemble, replace, and evolve independently.
A composable architecture is modular by design — each capability is a discrete, independently deployable unit. Teams can extend and rearrange without disrupting what already works. Agents can automate safely across it because the boundaries are clear and the interfaces are consistent. You can add AI capabilities without rebuilding. You can swap a component without a migration project. You can move fast without breaking things.
What this means in practice: microservices, headless architecture, best-of-breed selection, and continuous evolution without disruption.
Connected means designed to be optimized in an ecosystem — not in isolation.
A connected architecture works in real time with everything around it. Data flows. Systems interoperate. Agents can trigger actions, share context, and coordinate across vendor boundaries. API-first and MCP-connected, a connected system is externally observed, governed, and approved — meaning it doesn't just plug in, it participates. The result is an architecture that gets more capable as the ecosystem around it grows.
What this means in practice: API-first design, MCP connectivity, event-driven integration, real-time data access, and multi-agent coordination.
The MACH Alliance certifies ISVs, system integrators, and enablers against these principles — independently validated and proven to deliver for the global enterprise.
