Microservices are an essential part of computing technology. It has gained much popularity and is now considered important in developing a robust architectural approach. In simpler terms, microservices refer to designing a software system that combines loosely coupled services.
Instead of using a monolithic approach, software developers are increasingly inclining towards using the microservices architecture. The services in the microservices architecture are easy to maintain and can be tested rigorously for bugs. Furthermore, they are loosely coupled and can be deployed independently. One of the major benefits of using microservices technology is that it is organized around the business’s capabilities, and you need a small team to operate it effectively.
Broadly speaking, there are three types of microservices used in software development: domain, integration, and unit-of-work. We will take an in-depth look at the three different types, which will help us understand their differences.
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Unit-Of-Work Microservices
Unit-of-work or stateless microservices are ideal for small businesses and start-ups willing to cut costs and deploy a mechanism that doesn’t hit hard on their pockets. These services are cheap, highly scalable, and are comparatively easy to construct and deploy. Stateless microservices have simple processors, and they don’t rely on other microservices to perform their tasks. However, they don’t have any shared state and have no local data storage.
As mentioned, unit-of-work microservices don’t save anything. They simply handle incoming requests and return adequate responses. Once they receive, process, and send the request, their work is done, and they forget what happened.
Even with its limitations, stateless microservices are pretty handy. They eliminate the need to have any large storage devices, as every transaction they conduct is fresh. Different requests can be made through various servers, which makes the overall system more flexible and robust. New businesses or start-ups who continuously need to adapt to changing business climates can use this type of microservice as it allows them the flexibility of adding new and removing old instances in their applications.
However, unit-of-work microservices are not suitable for applications that need to store data or memorize processes to help them perform subsequent transactions. Emails, online banking, or e-commerce are prime examples of enterprise applications that require more than stateless microservices.
Domain Microservices
Like their stateless counterpart, they are loosely coupled services within software development. However, they tend to collaborate with other microservices within an enterprise application via robust APIs. Such services allow various microservices to run concurrently and provide collective functionality.
Enterprise applications use domain microservices. Common examples include .NET core and Node.js services. Most developers use custom code artifacts to create enterprise applications as such software requires a greater depth of logic explanation in their codes.
As mentioned, domain microservices are usually customized to serve the needs of complex correlated functionality or in instances where software requires additional functionality. Such interfaces are typically deployed as RESTful services that communicate effectively through HTTP. You’ll find domain services being used by most agile software development teams due to their flexibility and ability to connect different services through impactful APIs.
Domain models are can also be easily maintained by software developers who created them in the first place. However, to create such a model, you’d need a high level of expertise and developers who have sufficient knowledge in the domain languages. Furthermore, domain services might not be feasible for companies who are working on a tight budget.
Domain microservices usually take longer to deploy and require higher expertise, and their costs are significantly higher than unit-of-work microservices. If you’re working on a short-term project or an application with no need for complex procedures, it is better to avoid using domain microservices.
However, if you’re working on a project with significant complexities and creating a domain microservice will benefit the project, you shouldn’t hesitate to design a domain landscape.
Integration Microservices
Integration microservices are used in areas where there is a need for immediate integration within disparate systems. Such services allow software developers to connect unrelated systems to create a broader ecosystem. If you’re operating within a low-code environment, then integration services are the way to go.
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Integration microservices don’t need customized development or complex codes to design. Therefore, the design, development, and deployment of integration microservices are quick, efficient, and relatively straightforward.
However, one important aspect to consider is that these services can take time during the troubleshooting and debugging processes. Furthermore, low-code integration microservices may be developed in complex languages that are not commonly used, making the debugging process even harder, especially if you don’t have the necessary expertise.
You may find several mutations of these types of microservices in various software development programs. Understanding your project scope and domain is crucial in determining the type of microservice that’ll work best with your needs and requirements. Choose the wrong one, and you’d end up with many problems, and not to mention the time spent and the wastage of resources that might be best deployed elsewhere.
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If you’re unsure about which technology to deploy, then it is better to consult an expert. Cloud Computing Technologies is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business that has been operating for over 20 years. We have significant expertise in application rationalization that’ll help you implement the perfect microservices architecture in your business.
Our team of experts has combined experience in the best software development languages, including Java, Golang, and Python, enabling us to provide customized solutions for our clientele.
Conclusion to the Three Types of Microservices
We understand how hard it can be to convert your existing infrastructure to a microservices one. With our expertise by your side, you can successfully migrate from a monolithic application to a modern microservice mechanism with the three types of microservices.
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