---
id: topic-microservices
name: Microservices
artifact_type: content
description: Topic definition for Microservices architecture
version: 1.0.0
tags:
  - architecture
  - distributed-systems
  - topic
---

# Microservices Architecture

An architectural style that structures an application as a collection of loosely coupled, independently deployable services, each implementing a specific business capability.

Microservices represent a departure from monolithic architecture, emphasizing service autonomy, bounded contexts, and decentralized data management.

**Key Characteristics:**
- Independent deployment and scaling
- Service-oriented API contracts (typically REST or gRPC)
- Decentralized data management (database-per-service)
- Polyglot persistence and technology diversity
- Failure isolation and resilience patterns

**Common Use Cases:**
- Large-scale web applications
- Cloud-native applications
- Continuous delivery environments
- Organizations requiring team autonomy
- Systems requiring differential scaling
