How we architect enterprise software
The engineering principles behind ETA, Smart Steel ERP and the custom systems we build.
Summary 3SD builds enterprise systems as modular monoliths on Java and Spring Boot, splitting modules into separate services only when scale requires it. Systems use PostgreSQL, role-based access control, audit trails, APIs for integration, and offline-capable mobile apps, deployed on cloud, on-premise or hybrid infrastructure.
| Principle | What it means |
|---|---|
| Modular monolith first | Clear module boundaries in one deployable application; simpler to run and maintain for most organisations |
| Services where justified | High-volume or independently scaling modules split out when needed |
| Multi-tenancy | Tenant isolation for SaaS products such as ETA |
| Data | PostgreSQL with migrations; TimescaleDB for sensor data; Redis for caching |
| Security | Authentication, single sign-on, role-based access control, encryption |
| Audit | Who changed what and when, for compliance and investigations |
| Integration | Documented REST APIs and message queues for plant and third-party systems |
| Mobile and offline | Local storage on devices with conflict-aware synchronisation |
| Observability | Logs, metrics and alerts for every environment |
| AI services | Python services for forecasting and predictive models, called through APIs |
Why not microservices from day one?
Microservices add operational complexity that most business systems do not need early on. A well-structured modular monolith is faster to build, cheaper to run and easier to support, and it can be split later along the module boundaries already in place.
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