Microservices vs Monolith: Which is the way to go?

Microservices have become a trend in the recent software development industry. But still, the debate over microservices vs monolith keeps on rising questions among the developers. Here we aim to shatter the ambiguity between these two services. Thus, we'll take you on a tour where we'll describe both these services from our perspective, try to show you a comparison, and reveal which is a better option according to the recent trend. Let's get the ball rolling.

Microservices Vs Monolith: How they work

Monolith

Monolithic architecture works as a single unit. Many enterprises have been working with this architecture over the years. Although it works as an individual unit it has three layers:

• A database 
• A client-side user interface and
• A server-side application

If you want to bring any changes to the system as a developer, you must have to build and deploy the latest version of the server-side application. The server-side application deal with multiple jobs comprising:

• Handling the HTTP requests
• Executing domain-specific logic
• Retrieving and updating data from the database 
• Occupying the HTML views to send them to the browser

The monolithic architecture is a self-contained module. Here all of its components are tightly coupled inside the container connected. Also, these components are interdependent. That’s why, when you need to bring any changes, you have to rewrite the code. If you want to compile or deploy a code, all the components along with their associates need to be present. 

Microservices

While monolithic architecture comes as a single unit, microservice architecture is the opposite. Microservices separates its work infrastructure into multiple loosely-coupled small services. Microservices offer an effortless solution for the developers to break down a huge chunk of codebase built for applications. Although they are separated, they work together giving you the authority to bring changes without altering the entire system. On top of that, even if some new complexities have risen, you’ll get more facilities and ease than the monolithic architecture. 

Microservices comes with business-oriented APIs and offers a crucial business capacity. These APIs enable you to use them in multiple contexts. You’re also allowed to utilize them in various businesses upon your need. On top of that, you can compress the reliance between consumers and services by applying the loose coupling method. Consumers generally don’t get affected by any alterations and with the implications of these services thanks to standardized contracts through business-oriented APIs. 

Advantages and disadvantages of Microservices vs Monolith

Advantages of Monolith

• Monolithic architecture has fewer cross-cutting concerns. Cross-cutting concerns create tangling and scattering in the system affecting both the design and system. It mostly happens due to system interdependencies and affects other concerns like performance observation, caching, and logging. As in monolithic architecture, only one application has to face this concern, the impact is low in such cases.
• It’s effortless to debug and test the monolith architecture compared to microservices. As it works as an individual inseparable unit, you can run end-to-end testing rapidly.
• Since you don’t have to handle multiple deployments, deploying on a monolithic architecture is easier.

Disadvantages of monolith

• When you try to scale up a monolithic architecture, it becomes tough to comprehend. In the meantime, a complex codebase turns out to be complicated to manage as well. 
• It's harder to bring changes into a monolithic architecture due to tight coupling. Any alteration in the system affects the entire system and requires a thorough observation. Therefore, it makes the entire development process lengthy. 
• Monolithic architecture is hardly scalable. It doesn't allow you to scale independently. Even if you want to scale up, you have to alter the entire application. 
• There's a technological barrier in monolith architecture as well. Introducing the latest technology becomes difficult as you have to rewrite code and change the entire structure for it to happen. 

Advantages of Microservices

• Microservice offers you flexibility in terms of code deployment and updating the services independently. 
• As microservices break down the actual task into multiple segments, if there's a bug in any segment, it doesn't affect the other services. Only you need to fix that particular service. 
• It's much more effortless to introduce a new feature than the microservice architecture. 
• Depending on the business goal you set, you can put concentration on a particular service. Splitting into multiple small components, microservices makes it easier for you to understand and govern the services. 
• Microservices come with enhanced scalability. The small components make it simple to scale up independently enabling you to save both time and money. While in a monolith, you need to rewrite the entire code base to scale it up, microservices just bring changes to some particular services. 
• The engineering team hardly faces any technological barrier in terms of integrating any latest technology within the system. They are free to apply and experiment with discreet frameworks and technologies for microservices. 

Disadvantages of microservices

• Since microservices form with multiple small independent services, they require you to deploy them independently. In the meantime, you need to put some extra effort to build connections between those services and the database as well.
• You have to take a bit of a headache for proper system distribution. As you have to deal with multiple modules and databases, carefully handling the connections is necessary. 
• Earlier we've talked about the cross-cutting concerns which don't bug you in monolith architecture. But in microservices, you'll require to deal with them. The cross-cutting concern might include health checks, logging, metrics, externalized configuration, and so on.
• Testing becomes a bit tough as you have to go through a multitude of independently deployable units. 

Verdict

Microservices has been projected to grow at a rate of 22.5% from 2019 to 2025 says Ran Ilany in his article "Microservices vs Monoliths: Which is right for your enterprise?" If you want a better way of governing data sets, leveraging cloud storage & automation, and rapid deployment, microservices are the way to go. However, that requires a careful examination of your company culture and requirements. On the other hand, monolithic architecture is preferable in terms of a team starting with a fresh business idea and eying towards developing a simple and lightweight application. Still, If your team needs suggestions regarding selecting the best approach, contact with the expert might help to take you on the right path.