Microservices Vs Hexagonal Architecture

Microservices architecture and Hexagonal architecture are two different architectural styles with distinct characteristics and purposes. Let’s discuss them briefly below:

Microservices Architecture

Microservices is an architectural style that structures an application as a collection of loosely coupled services. Each service is focused on a specific business capability and can be developed, deployed, and scaled independently.

Example of Microservices architecture, Credits: microservices.io

Characteristics:

• Decentralized: Each microservice is autonomous and can be developed and deployed independently.
• Scalability: Services can be scaled horizontally based on demand.
• Technology Diversity: Different services can use different technologies and programming languages.
• Resilience: Failure of one service does not affect the entire system; it can degrade gracefully.
• Communication: Services communicate through APIs, often using lightweight protocols like HTTP/REST or messaging queues.

Advantages:

• Agility and Flexibility: Easier to modify and update individual services without affecting the entire system.
• Scalability: Can scale specific services based on demand.