Microservices in DevOps

Introduction

Microservices architecture represents one of the most significant trends in modern software development. However, the latest State of DevOps Report (DORA) revealed unexpected results that challenge some of our preconceptions about the effectiveness of microservices. This article presents an in-depth analysis of these surprising findings and offers new perspectives on the role of microservices in contemporary DevOps practices.

DORA's Unexpected Findings

The latest DORA report revealed that teams using loosely coupled architecture (often associated with microservices) and continuous delivery performed worse than teams using only continuous delivery. This result contradicts the widely held belief that microservices improve team productivity and software quality.

Semantic Diffusion

One possible explanation for these unexpected results is "semantic diffusion." This term describes the process where popular ideas, such as microservices, become misunderstood and diluted as they become widely adopted.

In the context of microservices, many respondents might mistakenly believe that microservices simply mean:

• Service in its repository
• Text transfer via HTTP API

However, these characteristics are not definitive of microservices. True microservices should meet the following criteria:

1. They should not share the state with others except through their public API.
2. They should be independently deployable, meaning it should be possible to deploy them to production without testing with all collaborating services first.
3. They should align with a bounded context in the problem domain.

Increased Complexity

While microservices reduce complexity at the individual service level, they increase systemic complexity. This requires higher operational expertise, especially in areas such as:

• Debugging and fixing errors in production environments
• Managing communication between services
• Ensuring data consistency in a distributed system

Less experienced teams may struggle to manage these challenges effectively, leading to decreased productivity.

The Role of Experience

The report showed that less experienced professionals (with less than 16 years of experience) had a worse experience with trunk-based development. This might extend to microservices as well, as both practices require high technical competence and discipline for effective implementation.

Recommendations for Practitioners

1. Correct Definition of Microservices: Ensure that your team fully understands the true principles of microservices, not just superficial characteristics.
2. Gradual Migration: Instead of switching to microservices all at once, consider a gradual approach, starting with a transition from monolithic to modular monolith architecture before fully moving to microservices.
3. Investment in Operational Expertise: Prioritize the development of DevOps and SRE (Site Reliability Engineering) skills in your team to better handle the operational challenges of microservices.
4. Continuous Assessment: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your microservices architecture using DORA metrics, particularly focusing on stability and throughput.

Future Perspectives

Despite current challenges, microservices remain an important architectural paradigm. However, a more nuanced approach to their use is needed. Future research should focus on the following areas:

1. Measuring System Changeability: A new metric is proposed that measures a system's ability to change as a defining characteristic of quality. This could be particularly relevant in the context of microservices.
2. Comparative Analysis of Experience Levels: More detailed research is needed on how the team's experience level affects the successful implementation of microservices.
3. Impact of Microservices on Business Outcomes: Future studies should investigate the link between microservices usage and business metrics such as time-to-market reduction and innovation speed.

Conclusion

Microservices remain a powerful tool in modern software development, but the latest DORA report shows that their effectiveness depends on many factors. Organizations should make informed decisions about transitioning to microservices architecture, considering their team's experience and operational capabilities. Continuous evaluation and adaptation will be crucial for success in the world of microservices.