There's a new buzzword on the block - Microservices.
What is Microservices Architecture?
Microservices architecture is a technique that allows a single application to be made up of a collection of small separate services. Each service can be independently developed, tested and scaled. It is possible that each service can be written in a different language and use different storage technologies.
Many existing applications are built in a monolithic style - all services within a single unit process. A disadvantage of using this approach is that any development, testing or scaling is carried out on the entire unit therefore changes can be slow and expensive.
We now offer our PDFTables PDF converter as a microservice that can easily be deployed using Docker. Our microservice packages are offered as annual licenses. We provide all necessary binaries in a ZIP file that can be downloaded from the PDFTables licensed page once a license has been purchased.
Adopting a microservice approach means a quicker build and deploy process compared to a larger, centralized application. There is no wasted space from unnecessary and unwanted features as your developers can choose how each microservice is implemented. Microservices also deal well with failure. It is certainly possible for a service to fail, however, in a microservices architecture, the other services around the failed service can continue running whilst fixes are carried out. Microservices are also a great fit with big data technologies due to their scalable nature.
Of course there are always cons to go alongside the pros. Due to the variety of services within this architectural style, testing can be time consuming and expensive - you need to ensure you have the skills and experience available in your team. Adopting this approach could also present risks around security. Understanding the structure of your application is key to ensuring each service is properly secured.
Microservices are a great way of working if you are looking to evolve and expand your products and services. Companies including Netflix and eBay have adopted this approach successfully due to the scalability and flexibility. You can even cut down costs with microservices as each service can be scaled independently, depending on demand.
If you'd like to know more about PDFTables as a microservice, or anything around PDFTables, feel free to get in touch.