Flexible Architectures: Decoupling Business Logic from Runtime Topologies with TPF

From majestic monoliths to runtime topologies

Mariano Barcia introduces The Pipeline Framework (TPF) to solve architectural rigidity. The system treats business flows as stable assets while allowing runtime topologies to change via build-time adaptation.

Why This Matters

Choosing between monoliths and microservices often creates irreversible lock-in, forcing teams to commit to specific infrastructure and latency profiles early in development. By decoupling the business flow from the execution mode, engineers can transition from a simple monolith to a distributed system as the business outlives its initial topology, preventing the need for costly rewrites.

Key Insights

• The Pipeline Framework (2026) utilizes build-time adaptation to map business flows to specific runtime shapes such as gRPC or REST.
• Monolith topology concept for in-process execution as demonstrated in the TPF csv-payments reference system.
• The Pipeline Framework tool used by the csv-payments system to manage transformation logic independently of transport.
• Modular layout concept for independent scaling where steps are projected as gRPC or protobuf-over-http services.
• PipelineRuntimeMapping resolver fact for determining component placement without altering core transformation logic (Source: Mariano Barcia, 2026).

Practical Applications

• Use Case: The csv-payments system switching from a local monolith for debugging to a distributed layout for production scaling.
• Pitfall: Architectural lock-in occurs when transport concerns leak into core logic, making the system a hostage to how components communicate.

References:

• https://dev.to/mbarcia/from-majestic-monoliths-to-runtime-topologies-497g