Microservices vs Monolith: Architecture Decision Guide
Monolith: one codebase, one deploy. Microservices: many small services. The choice affects complexity, team structure, and scaling. Here's when to use each.
Quick Answer
Start monolith. Extract microservices when you have clear boundaries (e.g., billing service), team ownership, or scaling needs. Premature microservices add complexity without benefit.
Table of Contents
Monolith
Single deployable. Simpler ops, easier debugging. Can scale to millions of users with good structure. Modular monolith: clear boundaries, extract later. See our Scalability guide.
Microservices
Independent services, own DB. Scale per service. Team ownership. Downsides: distributed complexity, ops overhead, network failures.
When to Choose
- Monolith: Startup, small team, single domain
- Microservices: Multiple teams, clear ownership, different scaling needs
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we migrate from monolith to microservices?
Yes. Strangler fig: extract services one by one. Start with clear boundaries (e.g., notifications, billing). See our Modernization guide.