Moria and Rivendell

As software continues to eat the world, modern software development is flourishing and evolving in a variety of domains: web and cloud applications, industrial automation, embedded systems, gaming and graphics, scientific and high-performance computing, enterprise systems. My company, Opreto, does most of its work across the first two of these domains, and thrives in their differences. To contrast the respective development methodologies and practices of web and cloud software and industrial software, I will compare them to Rivendell and the Mines of Moria in The Lord of the Rings.

Rivendell: The World of Modern Web Development

Rivendell is a place of fluidity, wisdom, and continuous refinement. It is an open, evolving environment where ideas and knowledge flow freely. The Elves who reside there are deeply invested in the preservation of beauty and the ongoing pursuit of perfection, yet they are adaptable and forward-thinking. This reflects the nature of modern software development, where agility, scalability, and iterative improvement are fundamental principles.

In web and cloud-based software development, the tools and frameworks evolve rapidly. Developers rely on open-source technologies, collaborative platforms, and CI/CD pipelines to ensure that software is constantly improving. Just as Rivendell serves as a sanctuary for knowledge and progress, modern software development thrives on its ability to embrace change, experiment with new methodologies, and deploy updates seamlessly. The focus is on flexibility and resilience rather than rigid structure. Agile and DevOps reign supreme.

The Mines of Moria: The World of Industrial Automation

The Mines of Moria, on the other hand, were built for strength, permanence, and reliability. The Dwarves carved out vast halls of stone, creating an underground city meant to endure for ages. The structures they built were robust, intricate, and designed with purpose—but also deeply tied to tradition and resistant to change. This mirrors the world of industrial automation software, where stability and precision take precedence over speed and adaptability.

In industrial automation, software is tightly integrated with hardware and must operate under strict constraints. Systems are often built within proprietary ecosystems, using specialized tools and programming languages that ensure reliability but limit flexibility. The focus is on ensuring that machines run efficiently, avoiding unplanned downtime, and maintaining compatibility with legacy infrastructure. Much like Moria, once an automation system is built, it is expected to last for decades, and making changes can be complex and risky.

The Downfall of Moria: A Cautionary Tale for Industrial Software

Moria suffered because the Dwarves dug too deep, clinging to their old ways while pushing their systems beyond what they were designed for. In many ways, this reflects a key challenge in modern industrial automation: reliance on aging, proprietary technology can eventually become a liability. When updates and modernization efforts are delayed for too long, the system can become fragile, making any necessary transition far more difficult and costly.

Meanwhile, Rivendell remained a place of ongoing learning and adaptation. It didn’t crumble under the weight of its own structure, because it was never meant to be a rigid, unchanging system. Instead, it thrived by embracing a balance of wisdom, tradition, and innovation—something that industrial automation can benefit from by incorporating modern software practices where appropriate.

Finding a Bridge Between the Two Worlds

Neither Rivendell nor Moria represents the “right” or “wrong” way to build. Both have their strengths and serve different purposes. Industrial automation software must maintain its focus on reliability and longevity, but it can also benefit from adopting some of the principles of modern software development.

By introducing scalable architectures, version control, automated testing, and controlled CI/CD pipelines, industrial software can remain robust without becoming obsolete. The key is to ensure that these modern practices are implemented in ways that respect the constraints of manufacturing environments—bringing a touch of Rivendell’s adaptability into the precision-built halls of Moria.

For example, a perennial issue faced by integrators, machine builders, and suppliers in the industrial world is tension with the customer when installing software components. Software needs to be deployed, monitored, tested, and updated to continue performing its purpose as the world around it changes, but it can be tricky to achieve this effectively while navigating the uptime requirements and complex IT constraints of manufacturing environments. Rivendell has figured this out with DevOps; Moria needs practitioners experienced in both worlds to adapt DevOps to the mines.

Forging Ahead

Just as the greatest craftspeople of Middle-earth combined tradition with innovation, blending Elven grace with Dwarven strength, the most effective industrial automation teams will be those that understand both worlds—leveraging the adaptability of modern software development while respecting the constraints of industrial environments. The companies that can successfully navigate this convergence won’t just keep their systems running; they’ll position themselves for a future where industrial software is as intelligent, scalable, adaptable, and reliable as the machines it controls.