partsabi

Partsabi is a term used in discussions of modular system design to describe an approach that structures a system as a collection of discrete parts, each with a well-defined interface and behavior. In a partsabi architecture, parts can be developed, deployed, replaced, or upgraded independently, provided they conform to the agreed interfaces.

The term is relatively new and not standardized. It appears primarily in online technical writings, conference notes, and community discussions since the late 2010s. The name is usually viewed as a portmanteau of parts and ABI (interface concepts), though there is no single canonical etymology.

Core concepts include loose coupling between parts; explicit contracts or interfaces; versioning and compatibility guarantees; governance for ownership and lifecycle management; and plug-and-play composability that supports cross-domain interoperability.

Partsabi has been discussed in relation to software platforms, product-line engineering, and complex systems integration. A typical example is a web platform assembled from interchangeable parts such as authentication, catalog, payments, and search, each implemented as a partsabi component with a standard interface and clearly defined inputs and outputs.

Advantages cited for partsabi include greater reusability, easier experimentation and gradual upgrades, and the ability to assemble from third-party components. Critiques focus on the complexity of maintaining interface contracts, potential performance overhead, and the risk of interface drift or fragmentation if governance is weak.

Related concepts include modular design, component-based software engineering, plug-in architectures, and microservices. Partsabi is often discussed as a design pattern within these broader threads rather than as a single standardized methodology.