Microservice architecture is a software design approach that structures an application as a collection of loosely coupled services, which implement business capabilities. Each service in a microservice architecture is a self-contained unit that operates independently and communicates with other services through simple, well-defined interfaces, typically using lightweight protocols such as HTTP or messaging systems[1][2][3][5][6].
Key Characteristics of Microservice Architecture
Decomposition: Applications are broken down into smaller, manageable pieces, each of which performs a specific function or business capability. This allows for easier maintenance and faster development cycles[1][3].
Independence: Services are developed, deployed, and scaled independently. This independence facilitates the continuous deployment and testing of individual components without affecting the rest of the system[1][2][3].
Decentralized Data Management: Each microservice manages its own database, allowing for diverse data storage technologies and reducing the database management complexity that can arise in monolithic architectures[1][3][6].
Polyglot Programming: Microservices can be written in different programming languages and use different data storage technologies, depending on what best suits their needs. This allows teams to use the best tool for the job at hand[2][6].
Resilience: The failure of one service does not necessarily bring down the entire system. Fault isolation contained within services enhances the overall resilience of the application[3][6].
API Gateway: Often, microservices are accessed through an API gateway that handles incoming requests and directs them to the appropriate services. This layer can also handle cross-cutting concerns such as authentication, logging, and load balancing[1][6].
