As part of our startup, our predecessors chose to use micro-services for our new website as it is a trending technology.
This decision has many benefits, such as:
- Scaling a website becomes much easier when using micro-services, as each service can be scaled independently based on its individual needs.
- The loosely coupled nature of micro-services also allows for easier development and maintenance, as changes to one service do not affect the functionality of other services.
- Additionally, deployment can be focused on each individual service, making the overall process more efficient.
- Micro-services also allow for the use of different technologies for each service, providing greater flexibility and the ability to choose the best tools for each task.
- Finally, testing can be concentrated on one service at a time, allowing for more thorough and effective testing, which can result in higher quality code and a better user experience.
In developing our application with micro-services, we considered the potential problems that we may face in the future. However, it is important to note that we also need to consider whether these problems will have a significant impact compared to the potential disadvantages of using micro-services.
One factor to keep in mind is that our website is currently experiencing low traffic and we are acquiring clients gradually. As such, we need to consider whether the benefits of micro-services outweigh any potential drawbacks for our particular situation.
Regardless, some potential issues with micro-services include increased complexity and overhead in development, as well as potential performance issues when integrating multiple services. Additionally, managing multiple services and ensuring they communicate effectively can also be a challenge.
Despite the benefits of micro-services, we have faced some issues in implementing them. One significant challenge is the increased complexity of deployment and maintenance that comes with having multiple services. This can require more time and resources to manage and can potentially increase the likelihood of errors.
Additionally, the cost of using AWS ECS for hosting all of the micro-services can be higher than using other hosting solutions for a less traffic website. This is something to consider when weighing the benefits and drawbacks of using micro-services for our specific needs.
Another challenge we have faced is managing dependencies between services, which can be difficult to avoid. When one service goes offline, it can cause issues with other services, leading to a “No Service” issue on the website.
Finally, it can be very difficult to go back to a monolithic application even if we combine 3-4 services together, as they may use different software or software versions. This can make it challenging to make changes or updates to the application as a whole.
It is important to carefully consider whether micro-service architecture is the best fit for your business and current situation. If you have a less used website or are just starting your business, it may not be necessary or cost-effective to implement micro-services.
It is important to take the time to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of using micro-services for your specific needs and budget. Keep in mind that hosting multiple micro-services can come with additional costs, so be prepared to pay a minimum amount for hosting if you decide to go this route.
Ultimately, the decision to use micro-services should be based on a thorough assessment of your business needs and available resources, rather than simply following a trend or industry hype.
Set up:
- Used AWS ECS (ec2 launch type) with services and task definitions defined
- 11 Micro-services, 11 containers are spinning
- Cost: Rs.12k ($160) per month
Workaround:
- Consider using AWS Fargate type but not sure these issues get resolved
- Deploy all the services in one EC2 Instance without using ECS
The Rails Drop 