Two Worlds of Applications: Monolith vs Microservices in a Nutshell

Monolith or microservices? In this article, we’ll take you on a journey through two worlds of application architecture, showing how one big structure differs from agile, independent services. Find out which approach fits your project better!

1. Introduction

In the world of software development, we often encounter two main approaches to building applications: monolithic and microservice. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, which are worth understanding before deciding on your project’s architecture — since consequences such as maintenance costs, scalability, or ease of introducing changes often surface only after many years of development.

In this article, we’ll look at the main differences between these two styles and offer advice on when to choose one over the other.

2. Monolithic Application

A monolithic application is a traditional approach to building software, where all functions, modules, and components are tightly coupled and form one solid unit.

The user interface, business logic, and data access all run within a single process. An example would be WordPress, where everything – from content editing to user management – operates in one process, which simplifies setup for small teams.

As the application and its user base grow, maintaining the monolith becomes increasingly challenging – every change requires testing the entire app, and scaling means replicating the entire system.

3. Microservices

Microservices are a modern approach in which the whole system is split into small, independent services. Each handles a specific function and operates as a separate application.

An example of such a system is Netflix, where individual services handle streaming, recommendations, payments, etc. Each team can independently develop and deploy new functionality without affecting the rest of the system.

Microservices communicate over the network (e.g., REST, gRPC), offering great flexibility but also requiring solid architecture, automation, and monitoring tools.

4. Pros and Cons

5. Summary

The choice between monolithic and microservice architecture depends on many factors: project scale, team size, expected change dynamics, and business requirements.

Monolith is a good choice for smaller projects and MVPs where speed of delivery and simplicity matter most. Microservices work well for large, dynamic systems that require frequent changes, high availability, and flexible scaling.

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer — the key is to consciously choose the architecture that fits your project’s needs.