Can your enterprise mobile app grow with your business? It might depend on the foundation of your application, whether you have a monolithic or microservices approach to application architecture. While a monolithic architecture is generally considered to be the traditional unified model for building applications, businesses can’t deny the significant advantages that a microservices architecture has to offer. So what is the most efficient way for business growth, is it microservices or monolithic?
Monolithic Architecture
In a monolithic architecture, applications are built all in one piece, devised as a single unit. The components within these applications are tightly coupled and interdependent. All of the functions within the application are managed in one place, and each component must be present in order for code to be executed. This interconnectivity does provide some benefits, namely that these applications are easier to test and debug. Monolithic applications are also simple to deploy as there is just one file or directory.
However, there are also many weaknesses associated with a monolithic architecture, namely that components cannot be scaled independently, only the application as a whole. As these applications scale up, they become increasingly complicated. Even small updates can become difficult as changes need to be coordinated as they affect the entire application. Finally, new technologies are problematic to apply.
What are microservices?
Microservices, or microservice architecture, is a mobile application approach that structures an application as a collection of services. Microservices allow for scalability through rapid changes to complex applications in order to meet ever-evolving business needs.
Microservices Architecture
Whereas a monolithic architecture is a single unit, a microservices architecture is an architectural style that breaks down an application into smaller independent units. Here each process, or microservice, is connected to its own database, thus allowing functionality to be divided into smaller units. While the units can all communicate with each other through APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), each unit can be updated and scaled independently. The major advantage to businesses for microservices is scalability.
Migrating to Microservices Architecture
While the microservice architecture does have its own drawbacks, specifically extra complexity, many businesses are finding that the benefits outweigh the weaknesses for enterprise mobile solutions. Companies like Amazon, Twitter, Walmart, Netflix, eBay, and PayPal have all made the move from monolithic to microservices architecture.
At Copper Mobile, we possess the microservices expertise to help you achieve your business goals. Let us help you navigate the ever-changing mobile landscape and show you how mobile apps are real solutions to business problems. Schedule a discovery session with one of our engineers.
Key Takeaways
- In a monolithic architecture, applications are built all in one piece, devised as a single unit.
- In a microservices architecture, applications are broken down into smaller independent units.
- The major advantage to businesses for microservices architecture is the scalability.
- Companies like Amazon, Twitter, Walmart, Netflix, eBay, and PayPal have all made the move from monolithic to microservices architecture.
- Copper Mobile possesses microservices expertise to help you achieve your business goals.
