context: Several routes can be envisaged to improve the mechanical response of the composite cathode, none of which is likely to be very easy. This includes the optimization of cathode morphology, cathode chemistry/structure, mechanical properties of the solid electrolyte, and use of external pressure. Reducing the cathode surface displacement is critical for lowering the mechanical strain during cycling, which can be achieved by decreasing the cathode particle size or cathode strain. For a cathode material with a specific strain, a smaller particle size would result in less surface displacement and therefore reduced stress at the cathode/solid electrolyte interface. However, reducing the cathode particle size could negatively affect the cathode utilization and energy density of SSBs. Reducing the cathode strain during cycling is another way to minimize mechanical issues. Different cathode chemistries and structures have been shown to lead to different volume change during cycling. The current results motivate the search for high-energy-density electrode materials with small volume change or “zero-strain”. Different solid-electrolyte materials will also result in different mechanical degradation behavior. For example, the rapid development of cracks in the first few cycles was observed in SSBs with an oxide-based solid electrolyte, which is more rigid than the sulfide solid electrolyte used in the current study. In contrast, polymer-based composite solid electrolytes can accommodate larger strain and have been shown to improve the cycling stability. Therefore, developing a solid electrolyte with higher elasticity is an additional route to mitigate mechanical instability. Finally, applying a large external pressure (stack pressure) during cycling could in principle reduce the contact loss at the cathode/solid electrolyte interface, but such a large stack pressure may not be practical for large format cells.