The smaller the better in the world of software. Scalable, agile, and deployable at the touch of a button, microservices are a popular approach to modern software development, but what does it involve?

The What

The microservice methodology involves building a range of specialised applications that operate in tandem as one system. Traditionally, applications are developed as a singular entity (monolithic architecture), meaning that any changes to the architecture require the redeployment of the entire system.

Microservices navigate around this by breaking up functionality into multiple parts, allowing for each function to be independently deployed. This (in theory) makes for some much easier development and maintenance processes.

The When

They promise some big benefits on paper, but microservices are not the right approach for everyone. With a slew of tiny moving parts, the operational complexity of a microservices architecture can’t be underestimated – adopting this approach takes some careful planning (and some talented developers) to get right.

Provided you can manage the intricacies, there are many situations where the microservices framework shines, like:

• When you’re experiencing hyper-growth – if you need to update your architecture to suit your growing needs as a business, microservices grant the flexibility needed to reduce application downtime, and perhaps more impressively, scale functions separately.

• Empower your team – if your team is running short on autonomy, adopting microservices could be the answer. A redistribution of responsibility could give your developers the space they need to thrive.

• Entering a new market – looking to leap into a new market? Adaptability is the touchstone of an industrious business, and microservices could help you make the most out of your existing tools and platforms.

The Transition

If you’re hoping to make the transition from monolithic to microservices, it’s important to understand which functionality would benefit most from the switch before taking stock of your resources.

It’s generally best to make the transition in incremental stages, building a new application of microservices alongside the monolithic one. The outcome of this approach involves shrinking the monolithic application until it effectively becomes another microservice (or completely fades away).

Find out in more technical detail here: https://microservices.io/refactoring/. The transition is easier once you’ve got the right people on board. In many cases, establishing a culture of DevOps (if you haven’t already) is an ideal move to make.  

DevOps

DevOps engineers are among the most sought-after professionals in the software development space – they command high wages, they’re relatively hard to get hold of, and they can bolster the speed of your application deployment, stabilising your work environment in the process.

A key piece of the microservices puzzle, DevOps engineers can spearhead your growth in the right direction, but securing their talents can prove tricky, especially in today’s candidate-driven market.

Here at Trust in SODA, we take a community-led approach to talent acquisition. We established the Women in DevOps community back in 2017, and it’s since grown into a worldwide movement of empowered, engaged, and highly talented tech professionals. Our exclusive talent network grants our clients access to talent that isn’t available anywhere else.

Want to find out more about how the top DevOps talent can take your business to the next level? Reach out to the Trust in SODA squad today, we can be the difference that puts you ahead of the competition.