Introduction 

• Software architecture is a crucial aspect of software development. It refers to the design and structure of the software system, which determines how the different components of the system interact with each other. Two popular software architecture patterns are Monolithics and Microservices Architecture. In this article, we will compare and contrast these two architectures in-depth, highlighting their advantages, disadvantages, and providing examples of each. 

• A monolithic application is created as one cohesive unit, whereas a microservices architecture is made up of a number of smaller, independently deployable services. Which one fits you best? Several variables affect this. 

• Netflix experienced increasing pains in 2009. Because of the demand for its fast-expanding video streaming services, its infrastructure was unable to keep up. The business made the decision to switch its monolithic design for a microservices architecture and move its IT infrastructure from private data centers to a public cloud. The only issue was that neither the word “microservices” nor the structure were widely known.  

• One of the first well-known firms to transition successfully from a monolith to a cloud-based microservices architecture was Netflix. Due in large part to this new architecture that incorporated DevOps, it won the 2015 JAX Special Jury Award (“Most Innovative Open Source Tech in 2015”) Currently, Netflix has over a thousand microservices that look after and maintain various facets of the platform, and its programmers constantly deploy code—often thousands of times each day. 

• What is monolithic architecture? 

• An application is referred to as monolithic if all of its functionalities are contained within a single codebase. We divide the coding for our application into layers for appearance, business logic, and persistence before deploying it as a single jar or war file. This program is purely monolithic. 

• Advantages of a monolithic architecture 

1. Simple deployment: Simple deployment only requires one executable file or directory.  

2. Performance: In a consolidated code base and repository, one API can frequently carry out tasks that several APIs with microservices must carry out. 

3. End-to-end testing can be carried out more quickly with a monolithic application than with a distributed one because it is a single, centralized unit. making it simple to follow instructions and identify problems. 
    

• Disadvantages of a monolithic architecture 

1. Scalability – Individual components cannot be scaled. 

2. Reliability – Every module issue could have an impact on the availability of the entire application. 

3. Adoption of technology is hampered by the fact that any changes to the framework or programming language have an impact on the entire application, making adjustments costly and time-consuming. 

4. Lack of flexibility – The technologies already present in a monolith place limitation on it. 

5. Deployment: Redeploying the entire monolith is necessary when making even minor changes to a monolithic application. 

6. Scaling: Scaling involves setting up multiple instances of the application behind a load balancer so it’s impossible to scale only a part of the application to meet different resource requirements across the app. 

•  Example of Monolithic Architecture: 

• One example of a monolithic architecture is a traditional e-commerce application. This application includes all the features and functionalities required for an e-commerce store, such as product listings, shopping cart, payment processing, and order fulfillment. All these components are tightly coupled and packaged together into a single, self-contained application. 

• The e-commerce application has a centralized database that stores all the product information, customer details, and order history. The front-end and back-end of the application are tightly coupled, which means that changes to one component can affect the entire system. For example, if there is a problem with the payment processing component, it can affect the order fulfillment process, which can result in delayed shipments and dissatisfied customers. 

• What are microservices? 

 
It is a method of architectural development in which the program is divided into smaller services that each handle a smaller discrete amount of functionality and data while interacting directly with one another using simple protocols like HTTP. Sam Newman asserts that “Microservices are the little services that cooperate.” 

• Advantages of Microservices: 

1. Scalability and Flexibility- Microservices architecture allows for scalability and flexibility. Each service can be developed and deployed independently, which allows for horizontal scaling. It also enables developers to add new features or make changes to specific services without affecting the entire system. 

2. Improved Performance- Microservices architecture can improve performance as each service is designed to perform a specific function, which allows for more efficient use of resources. Additionally, services can be developed and deployed using different technologies, which allows developers to choose the best technology for each service to optimize performance. 

3. Resilience and Fault Isolation- In a microservices architecture, services are designed to be independent of each other, which means that if one service fails, it does not affect the entire system. The failure is contained within that particular service and does not bring down the entire system. This makes the system more resilient and fault tolerant. 

4. Better Team Organization- Microservices architecture allows for better team organization. Each service can be developed and maintained by a small team of developers, which makes it easier to manage and maintain the codebase. Each team can be responsible for a specific service, which improves accountability and reduces the risk of conflicts between different teams. 

5. Technology Diversity- Microservices architecture allows for technological diversity. Each service can be developed using a different technology stack, which allows developers to choose the best technology for the specific service. This allows for better performance, scalability, and flexibility. 

6. Faster Time to Market- Microservices architecture can enable faster time to market as services can be developed and deployed independently, which allows for parallel development. It also allows developers to respond quickly to changing market needs or customer requirements by making changes to specific services rather than the entire system. 

7. Improved Resilience to Change- Microservices architecture can improve resilience to change. As each service is independent, making changes to one service does not affect the entire system. This allows for faster experimentation and iteration, which can improve the overall quality of the system over time. 

8. Lower Costs- Microservices architecture can lower costs in the long run. As services can be developed and deployed independently, it allows for better resource allocation and reduces the risk of costly system failures. Additionally, it enables organizations to pay for only the services they need, which can reduce infrastructure costs. 

• Disadvantages of microservices:   

1.  Increased Complexity- Microservices architecture introduces additional complexity to the system. It requires a higher level of architectural design and management, which can be challenging to implement and maintain. The increased complexity can also result in higher development costs and longer development timelines. 

2. Higher Operational Overhead- Microservices architecture requires more resources for deployment and monitoring, which can result in higher operational overhead. The additional complexity of the system also requires more effort to maintain and troubleshoot issues, which can increase operational costs. 

3. Distributed System Issues- Microservices architecture is a distributed system, which introduces additional issues such as network latency and potential data consistency issues. These issues can be challenging to manage and resolve, which can result in a higher risk of system failure. 

4. Testing Complexity – microservices architecture can be more challenging than testing a monolithic system. Each service must be tested individually, which can result in easier unit tests, but more effort and complexity while testing the interactions between different services. That kind of testing can be difficult, which can increase the risk of issues in production. 

5. Increased Communication- Overhead In a microservices architecture, services communicate with each other over a network, which introduces additional communication overhead. This can result in slower performance and increased network latency, which can impact on the overall system performance. 

6. Security Risks- Microservices architecture introduces additional security risks. The distributed nature of the system can make it more vulnerable to attacks, and each service must be secured individually. Additionally, managing authentication and authorization across multiple services can be challenging, which can increase the risk of security breaches. 

7. Organizational Challenges- Microservices architecture requires a different approach to team organization and communication. Each service may have a separate team responsible for its development and maintenance, which can result in communication and coordination challenges. Additionally, managing dependencies between different services can be complex, which can result in organizational challenges 

• Example of Microservices Architecture 

• An example of a microservices architecture is a video streaming platform like Netflix. Netflix is a complex system that consists of many different services that work together to provide a seamless user experience. 

• Each service in the Netflix system is designed to perform a specific function, such as content delivery, user authentication, or billing. These services communicate with each other through APIs, and each service is deployed independently, which allows for scalability and flexibility. 

• For example, when a user logs into the Netflix platform, the user authentication service is responsible for verifying the user’s credentials. Once the user is authenticated, the content delivery service is responsible for streaming the video content to the user’s device. The billing service is responsible for managing the user’s subscription and billing information. 

Conclusion 

• In conclusion, both monolithic and microservices architecture have their advantages and disadvantages. Monolithic architecture is a traditional approach that is easy to develop and maintain, but it can be challenging to scale and maintain as the application grows. Microservices architecture is a newer approach that allows for scalability, flexibility, and resilience, but it can be complex and requires additional resources. 

• Choosing the right architecture for your software system depends on the specific needs and requirements of your business. Understanding the pros and cons of each approach can help you make an informed decision that is right for your organization. 

Hope this article helps in understanding Microservice and Monolithic architecture basics. Thank you for reading and be sure to check out our other articles at Prama Blogs. 

Jigar Kakadiya 
Software Engineer at Prama Services