Netflix struggled in 2009 to meet the growing demand for its video streaming service. They decided to move from a monolithic architecture to Microservices. Microservices was not yet a popular term, nor had the structure become well-known. Netflix was one of the very first companies to move from a monolithic architecture to a Microservices-based cloud architecture.

The video streaming service is successfully operating today with more than a thousand Microservices. It offers uninterrupted viewing to billions of users, despite engineers updating it daily thousands of times. Microservices have grown explosively as a result of the need to remain competitive in a technology landscape that is constantly changing. Many organizations have adopted microservices to scale business operations and stay competitive.

This guide will teach you the differences between Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture, their pros, and cons, as well as how to migrate successfully from monolithic architecture to Microservices.

What is Monolithic Architecture?

Monolithic architecture refers to a model of software that has been used for many years. It is an independent and self-contained program. Monolithic architecture is often associated with something big and glacial. This is not far from the truth. Monolithic architectures are large, single-code networks that combine all business concerns. This type of application can only be updated by accessing its code base, building an updated service-side interface and deploying it. Updates are therefore time-consuming and restrictive.

Benefits of Monolithic Architecture

• It is easier to deploy and develop: Monoliths are easier to create and develop because they have centralized components. This can lead to a quicker time to market. Monoliths are a great way for small teams or single developers to create, test and launch applications more quickly.

• Monoliths can be easier to test: There is only one code repository that needs to be tracked when testing or debugging.

• Microservices require less specialized training and skills: Most development teams are capable of creating a monolithic application.

• Single security management: While there are certain security benefits in breaking an application up into microservices, a monolith allows security to be handled at one location, instead of having to track vulnerabilities throughout all microservices.

Drawbacks of Monolithic Architecture

• Over time, monolithic codebases can grow to be extremely complex. As an application expands and gains functionality, the codebase becomes larger and more complex. It can be challenging to manage this, especially when the number of developers who work on each codebase increases. Inadvertently, changes made to an application component can affect other codebase components. This may result in extra time being needed to find issues.
• Vertical scaling is difficult: To scale monolithic applications vertically, you must add additional computing resources to the application at one time. Vertical scaling can be costly and may have limits.
• Due to the complex interdependencies of a monolith, adding or changing functionality can be extremely challenging. Developers may have limitations on what features they can add to a monolith, depending on your application’s needs.
• The entire programme might be rendered unusable by a single point of failure.

What are Microservices?

Microservices, or simply microservices as they are also known, is a method of architecture that relies upon a set of services that can be deployed independently. Each service has its own database and business logic with a particular goal. Each service is responsible for updating, testing, deploying, and scaling. Many businesses want to know the difference between Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture. 

However, major business and domain-specific concerns are decoupled via microservices and placed in different, independent code bases. Microservices do not reduce complexity but they make it more visible and manageable. They separate tasks into smaller processes which function independently and contribute to the whole.

Pros of Microservices Architecture

• Services that are self-contained: Each microservice can be deployed and managed without affecting other modules. This can be advantageous as an application grows because changes to one component will not affect the other components. Each microservice can also be managed by its own team.
• It’s easy to scale an application horizontally. Each microservice can grow independently, as the needs of each service change. Vertical scaling is more expensive than horizontal scaling. There are no limits to the amount an application can grow.
• A microservices architecture allows for greater flexibility. Teams can easily add new functionality and technologies as required. 
• As the demands on the programme expand, the number of microservices that make up the application might readily rise.

Cons of Microservices Architecture

• Complexity: Although individual components can be simple, an entire application built on microservices can be extremely complex. Microservices add a level of complexity that is not present in monolithic apps.
• Building a microservices architecture requires specialized knowledge that not all developers have. Without the right training, teams who are building microservices may face a number of challenges that could delay their time to market or cost them more money to hire outside experts.
• Security and testing distributed: Each module has its own bugs and security vulnerabilities. This can help prevent attacks but it can also make tracking vulnerabilities and debugging more difficult.
• Costs: Microservices can save costs but require more development resources for each service and its dependencies.

Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture – Comparison

Below are the comparison between the Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture that you must take into consideration. So let’s have a look: 

Key Difference Between Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture

Now that you know the comparison of Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture in the above table, let’s now discuss it in detail to know more. So let’s check out them: 

1. Comparing Development Teams

It is the first difference between Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture. It will be hard to build a microservices application if your team does not have experience using container systems and microservices. Monolithic architecture is ideal for small teams or single developers.

If you plan to grow your team in the future and have a team that is skilled at microservices deployment, then starting with microservices will save you time. Microservices offer greater flexibility in terms of team composition, task distribution, and ownership.

2. Resilience Analysis

The next difference between Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture is Resilience Analysis. The microservices application is more resilient due to its independent deployment, and the loose coupling when compared with monolithic applications.

3. Troubleshooting Comparison

Due to the tight coupling and dependencies between components, large monolithic systems are more difficult to troubleshoot. Microservices allow for fast and easy troubleshooting and problem tracing. It is one of the main differences between Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture. 

4. Scalability Analysis

Microservices are scalable unevenly. This will save time and resources for both the business and development team. The difference between Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture is what encourages companies to migrate to microservices their rapidly-growing apps to enable agility and a cost-effective development approach.

5. Compare Deployments

The monolithic application allows for rapid and easy deployment. Microservices allows you to deploy components of a microservices independently. This allows for frequent deployments with zero downtime and CI/CD automating.

6. Application Architecture Comparison

The last difference between Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture is app architecture comparison. Monoliths have a straightforward, simple structure consisting of a single unit. Microservices are a complex structure consisting of heterogeneous databases and services.

Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture: Deployment Strategy

It is clear that monolithic (one codebase), or traditional architecture, deploys to web servers in a conventional format. However, the same cannot be said of microservices. Various approaches can support microservices deployment, including

One service, one host: Each service is deployed on a single virtual server (host). It’s the easiest and lowest-cost option. One service-one container: Docker Containers help isolate microservices, which is one of the goals of a good strategy, but they also allow these containers to share resources like operating servers, libraries or frameworks.

Serverless Deployment Serverless deployments abstracts and outsource infrastructure. Cloud is a third-party that hosts and manages the servers. This includes all tasks such as patching, scaling, load, etc.  

Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture: Which Should You Choose?

Choosing the correct architecture depends on a number of factors. Both monoliths as well as microservices both have their pros. Before making a final decision, you should consider specific factors of Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture.

1. Technical Competence

You should first take into account your level of familiarity with the two architectures. Do you know what the best methods are for creating microservices?

2. Team

Are you and your team ready to absorb the microservices principles? When adopting microservices, it is important to evaluate the dimensions of growth for your team and product.

3. Infrastructure

Microservices run best on infrastructures based on Docker or Kubernetes. If you choose to use microservices, your cloud-based architecture should be excellent.

4. Assess Business Risks

Microservices might look perfect from all angles, but they can pose serious risks to your business. It is important to identify areas that need scaling. You can waste many human hours and efforts if you decide to scale parts that aren’t needed right now. The misplaced efforts that can be caused by vertical/horizontal scaling microservices are critical business risks.

Conclusion

Microservices are a challenging approach. All architectures are not the same. Not all applications are created equal. The key is to adopt microservices and associated technologies and practices in a gradual manner. Microservices work better for applications that are complex and constantly evolving. Adopting microservices will be difficult without the right expertise.

This blog will give you an overview of what Monolithic vs. Microservices Architecture looks like. You’ll have to choose the approach that best fits your situation.

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