top of page

The 12 Factor App Principles

Updated: Nov 12, 2024

The 12 Factor App Principles
The 12 Factor App Principles

"The 12 Factor App Principles" offers a set of best practices for building modern software applications.

Following these 12 principles can help developers and teams in building reliable, scalable, and manageable applications.

Here's a brief overview of each principle:

  1. Codebase:Have one place to keep all your code, and manage it using version control like Git.

  2. Dependencies:List all the things your app needs to work properly, and make sure they're easy to install.

  3. Config:Keep important settings like database credentials separate from your code, so you can change them without rewriting code.

  4. Backing Services:Use other services (like databases or payment processors) as separate components that your app connects to.

  5. Build, Release, Run:Make a clear distinction between preparing your app, releasing it, and running it in production.

  6. Processes:Design your app so that each part doesn't rely on a specific computer or memory. It's like making LEGO blocks that fit together.

  7. Port Binding:Let your app be accessible through a network port, and make sure it doesn't store critical information on a single computer.

  8. Concurrency:Make your app able to handle more work by adding more copies of the same thing, like hiring more workers for a busy restaurant.

  9. Disposability:Your app should start quickly and shut down gracefully, like turning off a light switch instead of yanking out the power cord.

  10. Dev/Prod Parity:Ensure that what you use for developing your app is very similar to what you use in production, to avoid surprises.

  11. Logs:Keep a record of what happens in your app so you can understand and fix issues, like a diary for your software.

  12. Admin Processes:Run special tasks separately from your app, like doing maintenance work in a workshop instead of on the factory floor.



Over to you: Where do you think these principles can have the most impact in improving software development practices?

Subscribe to our newsletter

Comentários


bottom of page