What are Microservices?
Blog post from Kong
Microservices architecture is a software design approach where a large application is divided into small, independent services, each focusing on a specific task. This style contrasts with monolithic architecture, where all functionality is bundled into a single codebase. Microservices are gaining popularity due to their scalability, flexibility, and alignment with cloud adoption, DevOps culture, and agile development practices. They enable independent scaling of services, fault isolation, faster deployment, and team autonomy, but also introduce complexity in areas such as service discovery and inter-service communication. Tools like Kong API Gateway facilitate managing microservices by handling request routing, security, and observability. Key components of microservices architecture include service boundaries, service discovery, circuit breakers, API gateways, and a database per service pattern. While microservices offer significant benefits for large and complex applications, they are not suitable for every organization, particularly those with simpler or smaller projects. Organizations must assess their readiness in terms of team skills, infrastructure, and culture before adopting microservices.