Declarative Management

A modern protocol update where devices autonomously apply configurations based on declarations, reducing server round-trips and improving performance.

What to Know

Declarative Management represents a fundamental architectural shift in how MDM works. Traditional MDM operates imperatively — the server sends commands (“install this profile,” “update this app”) and waits for responses, creating constant back-and-forth traffic and latency. Declarative Management instead delivers a desired state to the device (“these are all the apps and settings you should have”), and the device autonomously reconciles itself against that state, only reporting back status changes or errors.

This architecture dramatically improves performance, reduces cellular data usage, and enables devices to self-heal without server intervention. If a user accidentally removes a required profile, the device automatically reinstalls it without waiting for the MDM server to detect the problem and send a remediation command. For organizations with large fleets or remote workers on unreliable networks, this reduces management overhead and improves compliance by ensuring devices maintain proper configuration even when disconnected from the server.

Common Scenarios

Enterprise IT: Deploy OS update policies that devices autonomously enforce based on maintenance windows and network conditions, eliminating the need for IT to manually schedule updates per device. Use declarative software update declarations to ensure devices stay current without constant MDM server communication, especially valuable for field workers with intermittent connectivity.

MSP: Leverage declarative management to reduce MDM infrastructure costs and improve client device responsiveness. Since devices self-manage against declarations, MSPs can support larger client fleets without proportionally increasing server capacity or bandwidth. Particularly valuable for clients with remote or mobile workforces where traditional imperative commands might timeout or fail due to network conditions.

Education: Deploy software update policies to student devices that automatically install updates during non-instructional hours without requiring constant communication with the MDM server. This reduces network congestion during school hours and ensures devices remain updated even when students take them home where school network access is limited.

In Addigy

Addigy supports Declarative Device Management (DDM) for compatible macOS and iPhones, with DDM-based software updates being the primary implementation. Admins can configure declarative update policies through Addigy’s System Updates interface, which generates the necessary declarations and delivers them to devices via the DDM protocol. Addigy automatically detects DDM-capable devices and routes policies through the appropriate protocol (DDM for supported devices, traditional MDM commands for older devices), ensuring compatibility across mixed fleets without requiring admins to manage protocol differences manually.