.NET Architecture & System Design Interview Question #105
When should you consider moving from a monolith to microservices?
Microservices, API Gateway, Service Communication & Event-Driven Architecture Mid-Level Intermediate
Quick Interview Answer
Consider microservices when specific parts of a system need independent scaling, release cadence, fault isolation, technology choices, or team ownership and the monolith's current boundaries prevent those goals.
Detailed Explanation
Consider microservices when specific parts of a system need independent scaling, release cadence, fault isolation, technology choices, or team ownership and the monolith's current boundaries prevent those goals.
Do not migrate solely because the application is large. First improve modularity and identify stable business boundaries. Extract services incrementally where the benefits outweigh distributed-system complexity.
Code Example
Start:
Modular Monolith
Measure pressure:
- scaling
- deployment coupling
- team ownership
Extract only justified modules.