What is Scaffing?

In software development, the term scaffolding has various meanings, many of which differ depending on context. For this discussion, scaffolding refers to auxiliary code or tools that assist in the development, debugging, and maintenance of a system. Scaffolding is not a core or foundational component of the system—it is external and non-essential to the system's primary business processes. It is aware of the system, but the system itself has no dependency on the scaffolding.

To borrow from its traditional definition:

“SCAFFOLDING - a temporary structure on the outside of a building, used by workers while constructing, repairing, or cleaning the building.”

Similarly, software scaffolding provides temporary support, enabling efficient debugging, testing, or maintaining the system but does not directly contribute to the end product. Scaffolding isn't a base or template for the application—rather, it is a supportive environment that simplifies access, debugging, or experimental workflows for developers and stakeholders.

In the following sections, to emphasize this particular interpretation of scaffolding, I will use the word scaffing or scaff.

The Role of Scaffing in Development

Just as physical scaffing allows workers to reach challenging areas during construction, software scaffing enables developers to interact with parts of the system that would otherwise be hard to access or inconvenient to work with. It aids in system development, debugging, testing, and troubleshooting. However, real-world usage often diverges from its ideal form, as demonstrated in the following scenarios:

  • UI Test Automation as Scaffing:
    Example: UI automation testing often involves scaffing-like auxiliary code and mock environments for QA validation. These tests are typically not suitable for production systems because they depend on preconfigured environments.
    Issues: Such scaffing can become obsolete over time, especially after deployment, as integration tests are often deprioritized post-launch.

  • Integration Challenges:
    Debugging integration scenarios often requires scaffing to streamline test execution, isolate errors, and avoid redundant activities. However, such scaffing lacks interactivity and only produces binary outputs, e.g., “pass” or “fail.”

Automation tests reporting

  • Developer-Driven Solutions:
    Developers, driven by convenience and automation, often create their own scaffing (referred to as “helpers”). These tools can range from scripts to complete libraries or applications. However, their usefulness often depends on how they are accepted by the team or management.

Scaffing in Support and Maintenance

  • Production Problem Resolution:
    Scaffing in the form of scripts or low-code tools can assist support teams in identifying and resolving anomalous system states without disrupting critical production flows.

  • Business Use Cases:
    Custom, additional applications or interfaces are sometimes created to bypass standard business workflows temporarily. While this might seem like a workaround, it is often a pragmatic solution—especially for legacy systems where direct changes are impractical or costly.

Guiding Principles for Scaffing

To ensure scaffing serves its purpose effectively, the following principles should guide its development and use:

  • Separation from Core System Logic:
    Scaffing should remain outside the core system logic to minimize interference and dependencies.

  • Usability for Business and Support Teams:
    Scaffing tools should be designed not only for developers but also for support teams and, where reasonable, business users. Tools must feature intuitive interfaces and abstract away complex technical details.

  • Adaptability and Modularity:
    Scaffing tools should be modular and adaptable across different projects with minimal changes. This ensures maintainability and prevents duplication of effort.

  • Future-Proof Design:
    Scaffolding should incorporate open and flexible structures (e.g., scripts, plugins) to accommodate evolving requirements.

Challenges in Scaffing Development

Integration with Existing Tools

Tools like Postman or low-code platforms are often promoted as scaffing substitutes. While these tools can handle straightforward scenarios (like sending HTTP requests), their limitations (e.g., lack of interactivity or process automation) may hinder complex workflows.

Customization vs. Standardization

Fully customized tools might meet project-specific needs but lack reusability across projects. Conversely, developing a standardized solution may require significant design and testing effort.

A Practical Approach to Scaffing

A more robust scaffing tool could integrate interactive capabilities, allowing support teams and business users to work more effectively. For instance:

  • Example Tool:
    Anteater is a scalable application that uses XML to define operational scenarios or “recipes.” It enables dynamic workflows and provides flexibility for both developers and support teams. While Anteater may not be widely adopted due to favoring trendier options like Postman, it serves as an effective conceptual example of scaffing.

  • Plugins and Integration:
    Anteater operates with plugins, allowing integration with platforms like Commercetools or Fluent Commerce. While adoption may face resistance, it demonstrates how scaffolding can provide technical sophistication and ease of use simultaneously.

Solution Outline

  • Develop and standardize a helper tool for support teams and business users.
  • Scaffolding should conceal underlying technical complexity while exposing functionality through a user-friendly, interactive interface.
  • Enable extensibility via open-ended scripting or plugin systems to meet unique project needs.

Conclusion

The world of software systems is far from perfect. Budget, time constraints, and the complexity of real-world environments frequently prevent systems from being designed with every use case in mind. Scaffing, when used effectively, provides an essential support layer that makes development, debugging, and maintenance manageable.

Although not part of the primary system architecture, scaffolding enables developers, support teams, and even business users to bridge gaps, create workarounds, and ultimately ensure smoother operation in otherwise complex workflows. By leveraging modern tools and designing for flexibility and modularity, teams can build scaffolding solutions that are both practical and forward-thinking.