Why microservices exist - Challenge Your Understanding

Challenge - 5 Problems

🧠 Conceptual

intermediate

Why do microservices help with scaling?

Imagine a large online store that suddenly gets many visitors. Why would breaking the store's system into microservices help it handle more visitors better?

A Because microservices combine all functions into one big program that runs faster.

B Because each microservice can be scaled independently to handle specific tasks without scaling the whole system.

C Because microservices reduce the number of servers needed by merging services.

D Because microservices store all data in one place to speed up access.

💡 Hint

Think about how different parts of a system might need different amounts of resources.

Microservices allow parts of a system to be scaled separately. For example, the payment service can be scaled up without scaling the product catalog service, making resource use efficient.

❓ Architecture

intermediate

Which architecture best shows why microservices exist?

Look at these system designs. Which one best explains why microservices are used?

A Multiple small services each handling a specific function, communicating over a network.

B A single large application where all functions are tightly connected in one codebase.

C A monolithic database accessed by many small scripts running on one server.

D A desktop application that runs all services locally without network communication.

💡 Hint

Think about separation of concerns and independent deployment.

Microservices architecture splits a system into small, independent services that communicate over a network, allowing easier updates and scaling.

❓ tradeoff

advanced

What is a main tradeoff when choosing microservices?

Microservices offer many benefits but also have downsides. Which of these is a common tradeoff when using microservices?

A Increased complexity in managing many services and their communication.

B Reduced ability to update parts of the system independently.

C Lower fault tolerance because all services run on one server.

D Simpler deployment since everything is in one package.

💡 Hint

Think about what happens when you have many small parts instead of one big part.

Microservices increase complexity because you must manage many services, their communication, and data consistency, even though they allow independent updates.

❓ scaling

advanced

How do microservices improve fault isolation?

When one part of a system fails, microservices can help limit the problem. How do microservices improve fault isolation?

A By running all functions in one process so errors affect everything equally.

B By combining all logs into one file to detect errors faster.

C By sharing a single database that stops working if one service fails.

D By isolating services so failure in one does not directly crash others.

💡 Hint

Think about how separating parts can prevent one failure from spreading.

Microservices run independently, so if one service crashes, others can continue working, improving system reliability.

❓ estimation

expert

Estimate the impact of microservices on deployment frequency

A company moves from a monolithic system to microservices. How does this change affect how often they can deploy updates?

A Deployment frequency stays the same because the system size does not change.

B Deployment frequency decreases because coordinating many services is harder.

C Deployment frequency increases because small services can be updated independently.

D Deployment frequency stops because microservices require full system redeployment.

💡 Hint

Think about how independent parts can be updated without waiting for others.

Microservices allow teams to deploy updates to individual services without redeploying the entire system, increasing deployment frequency.