[DEPR]: MFE runtime config API

RFC Start Date

2025-08-27

Target Plan Accepted Date

2025-09-10

Target Transition Unblocked Date

October 2025

Earliest Breaking Changes Unblocked Date

January 2026

Earliest Open edX Named Release with Breaking Changes

Verawood - 2026-04

Rationale

The MFE runtime configuration API was created as an option for Tutor users to expose environment variables (normally configured via .env files in the root of MFE repositories) specific to their deployment without having to rebuild the mfe Docker image. However, we have moved away from .env files and environment variables in favor of more expressive Javascript configuration (such as env.config.jsx or frontend-base's site.config.tsx) which makes frontend plugins possible. The runtime config API, much like .env files, is incapable of supporting frontend plugins and other newer uses of configuration, notably frontend-base's.

Instead of modifying it to support a subset of modern configuration, we propose it be deprecated for removal along with the conversion of MFEs to frontend-base. Frontend-base should be initially modified to support partial runtime configuration via a simpler mechanism of loading JSON from an arbitrary URL, and eventually, via runtime loading of modules, also support full runtime configuration.

Removal

• https://github.com/openedx/edx-platform/tree/master/lms/djangoapps/mfe_config_api

Replacement

Frontend-base should be initially modified to support partial runtime configuration via a simpler mechanism of loading JSON from an arbitrary URL, and eventually, via runtime loading of modules, also support full runtime configuration.

Deprecation

No response

Additional Info

No response

Task List

No response

Task List

No response

Start by inspecting lms/djangoapps/mfe_config_api and searching the repository for its callers and configuration references. Review the frontend-base replacement direction described in the issue before determining the removal scope. Done means the deprecated API is removed consistently after its remaining uses are addressed, with no unresolved references.