middleware
Also known as: integration layer · connector software
Middleware is a software layer that sits between two or more systems, translates data formats, and catches errors between them.
When two systems are connected directly, each side has to know exactly the other's data format and workflow; if one side changes, the connection often breaks. Middleware sits in between: it takes data from one system, converts it into the other's format, and passes it along. That way, no system has to understand every other system directly, only the shared layer in the middle.
In practice, middleware often runs as its own service or platform that comes with prebuilt connectors to common software, such as an ERP system, an online shop, or accounting. It logs which records were transferred, and can retry a transfer after a failure instead of silently losing data. When a new system gets connected, usually only the middleware configuration changes, not every individual connected system.
One edge case worth flagging: middleware isn't a universal fix that establishes every connection automatically. It has to be set up and maintained for each individual integration, and with just a couple of simple connections it can end up costing more effort than it saves.
What it means in practice
In practice, middleware becomes worthwhile once more than two systems need to work together and direct connections would need retesting after every software update. NDVDL uses middleware where several connections have to stay reliably stable over time, not for a single simple link.
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