In the context of microservices, "Monolithic Architecture" denotes a traditional software development approach wherein an application is built as a single, self-contained unit. It is an all-encompassing structure in which the system's components—such as the user interface, database management, and business logic code—are tightly coupled and operate as an indistinguishable whole. This uniform design contrasts with the modular, distributed approach employed in microservices architecture, where application components are developed and deployed as separate, independent services.
Before delving into a comprehensive understanding of monolithic architecture, it's essential to recognize its critical role in earlier stages of software development. Although the microservices architecture is gaining popularity in modern application development, monolithic architecture serves as the foundation for many legacy systems and continues to be a viable choice in certain situations.
In monolithic architecture, both frontend and backend components typically reside in a single codebase, which can be built, tested, and deployed as a single package. This characteristic results in less complexity compared to distributed systems, easing the development and maintenance for smaller applications that do not require high scalability. Moreover, monolithic systems can run on a single server, which simplifies deployment and reduces infrastructure costs.
However, the monolithic architecture's tightly coupled components present challenges when an application needs to scale, especially at high loads or when incorporating frequent updates. Developers often encounter difficulties in isolating specific application areas for improvements or updates, as changes to any single component can inadvertently impact other areas in the system. Consequently, this entwined structure makes it challenging to adopt new technologies or scale an application horizontally across multiple servers or geographically distributed infrastructure.
Despite these challenges, monolithic architecture remains valuable in certain scenarios. For instance, AppMaster, a powerful no-code platform for creating web, mobile, and backend applications, harnesses the power of both monolithic and microservices architectures based on the context. AppMaster's platform allows users to develop applications using visual data modeling tools to create schemas and business logic, as well as REST API and Web Socket Secure (WSS) endpoints. The result is an application with highly performant code, auto-generated based on the user's requirements for backend, web, and mobile interfaces.
AppMaster's applications can be scaled for various use cases, from small businesses to enterprises, and are compatible with any Postgresql-supported database. The platform streamlines application development by automatically generating documentation, database schema migration scripts, and executable binary files. Additionally, the server-driven design enables easy updates to mobile application interfaces, logic, and API keys without submitting new versions to App Store and Play Market. Due to the platform's comprehensive features and flexibility, developers can build scalable, cost-effective software solutions with minimal technical debt.
Some popular examples of technology stacks employing monolithic architecture include the LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) and the MEAN/MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, Angular/React, Node.js). These classic examples demonstrate the long-standing popularity and continued relevance of monolithic architecture in software development.
In conclusion, monolithic architecture in the context of microservices represents a traditional software development method where components are tightly coupled into a single unit. While this approach simplifies the development process and reduces infrastructure resources for small applications, it may present challenges for applications needing high scalability and frequent updates. However, it remains relevant to specific use cases and legacy systems, showcasing the importance of understanding the various application development approaches to determine the most suitable architecture depending on the context.
