As I write in my book, you must pick the architecture that satisfies your application’s non-functional requirements, which are also referred to as CFRs, software quality attributes or -ilities. I’ll give some examples of -ilities shortly.
These days, pro-monolith tweets are guaranteed to have a high level of engagement. The latest was this one:
"Monoliths are the future because the problem people are trying to solve with microservices doesn’t really line up with reality", I aspire to such savage language as that which flows from @kelseyhightower. PREACH BROTHER! 😂❤️✊ https://t.co/VJXqSsSkvT
— DHH (@dhh) January 30, 2020
which was then regurgitated by The New Stack.
The reality is that the Monolithic Architecture and Microservice Architecture are architectural patterns. A pattern is a reusable solution to a problem that occurs in a context. Monolith Always and Microservices Always are mirrors of one another. Neither is a correct except in the sense of a stopped clock. They are both examples of the “Golden Hammer” anti-pattern. Which one you should choose depends on your context, the problem you are trying to solve and the -ilities you need.
In particular, high-performance software delivery, which requires small, autonomous DevOps teams, needs an architecture that is maintainable, testable, deployable, modular and evolvable. Perhaps you can achieve high-performance software delivery of your application using the monolith architecture. That’s especially true for smaller teams and small applications. But many organization have found that they needed the microservice architecture in order to deliver software rapidly, frequently and reliably. Alternatively, perhaps your application’s key -ilities are completely different. For each application, its essential to know your -ilities and choose the appropriate architecture.
And, yes there are anti-patterns of microservice adoption including Magic Pixie Dust and Trying to fly before you can walk.
However, the fact that some organizations adopt microservices for the wrong reasons or implement them incorrectly does not detract from the value of using the microservice architecture right context.
Microservices.io is brought to you by Chris Richardson. Experienced software architect, author of POJOs in Action, the creator of the original CloudFoundry.com, and the author of Microservices patterns.
Chris helps clients around the world adopt the microservice architecture through consulting engagements, and training workshops.
Chris teaches comprehensive workshops for architects and developers that will enable your organization use microservices effectively.
Avoid the pitfalls of adopting microservices and learn essential topics, such as service decomposition and design and how to refactor a monolith to microservices.
Learn moreChris offers numerous other resources for learning the microservice architecture.
Want to see an example? Check out Chris Richardson's example applications. See code
Got a specific microservice architecture-related question? For example:
Consider signing up for a two hour, highly focussed, consulting session.
My virtual bootcamp, distributed data patterns in a microservice architecture, is now open for enrollment!
It covers the key distributed data management patterns including Saga, API Composition, and CQRS.
It consists of video lectures, code labs, and a weekly ask-me-anything video conference repeated in multiple timezones.
The regular price is $395/person but use coupon MECNPWNR to sign up for $120 (valid until May 16th, 2023). There are deeper discounts for buying multiple seats.
Take a look at my Manning LiveProject that teaches you how to develop a service template and microservice chassis.
Engage Chris to create a microservices adoption roadmap and help you define your microservice architecture,
Use the Eventuate.io platform to tackle distributed data management challenges in your microservices architecture.
Eventuate is Chris's latest startup. It makes it easy to use the Saga pattern to manage transactions and the CQRS pattern to implement queries.
Engage Chris to conduct an architectural assessment.
Note: tagging is work-in-process
anti-patterns · application api · application architecture · architecting · architecture documentation · assemblage · beer · containers · dark energy and dark matter · deployment · design-time coupling · development · devops · docker · eventuate platform · glossary · hexagonal architecture · implementing commands · implementing queries · inter-service communication · kubernetes · loose coupling · microservice architecture · microservice chassis · microservices adoption · microservicesio updates · multi-architecture docker images · observability · pattern · refactoring to microservices · resilience · sagas · security · service api · service collaboration · service design · service discovery · service granularity · service template · software delivery metrics · success triangle · tacos · team topologies · transaction management · transactional messaging