Monolithic vs. Microservice Architectures

Monolithic Architecture

-A traditional software design approach where all components of an application are combined in a single unified codebase.

-Common choice for small to medium sized applications because of its simplicity and speed. Straightforward.

-Harder to maintain

Monolithic Application

-Built as a single, unified unit where all components are interconnected and run as one service

Characteristics of Monolithic Architecture

 Single codebase.

 Centralized database.

 Tightly coupled modules.

 One deployment package

Advantages of Monolithic Architecture

 Simpler to develop initially.

 Easier debugging and testing.

 Straightforward deployment.

Disadvantages of Monolithic Architecture

 Difficult to scale specific components.

 Any small change requires redeploying the entire system.

 High risk of downtime.

Microservices Applications

-Composed of multiple small, independent services.

-every service runs on its own and communicates through lightweight mechanisms often REST APIs or messaging queues

Microservices Architecture

-a design approach where applications are broken down into a collection of small, independent services.

-services are focused on a specific business function. Runs its own process. Flexible, provides scalability, resilience, and Maintainability

Characteristics of Microservices Architecture

 Decentralized and independent services.

 Each service has its own database or storage.

 Services communicate via APIs.

 Supports polyglot programming (different languages per service).

Advantages of Microservices Architecture

 Scalability at the service level.

 Fault isolation (failure of one service does not crash the whole system).

 Faster development and deployment cycles.

 Flexibility in choosing technology stacks.

Disadvantages of Microservices Architecture

 Complexity in communication and orchestration.

 Higher operational overhead.

 Requires strong DevOps and monitoring practices.