Microservices vs API | Differences Between Microservice and API | Edureka

Summary

This session explores the key differences between microservices and APIs, two essential components in modern software development. Microservices are small, independent services that work together to build scalable applications, while APIs act as the communication layer between services and clients. The video walks through the role of APIs in microservices architecture, explaining their function in handling client requests and responses. By using an e-commerce example, it illustrates how microservices and APIs work together to deliver a seamless user experience. It concludes by advising developers on the importance of well-designed APIs for successful microservices implementation.

Takeaways

• 😀 Microservices are an architectural style where applications are built as a collection of small, independent services focused on specific business functionalities.
• 😀 Monolithic architecture stores all functionalities of an application in a single block, making it tightly coupled and harder to maintain.
• 😀 Each microservice in an application can have its own database and data access layer, though some services may share a database if needed.
• 😀 APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) act as communication layers between clients and services, enabling requests and responses to flow efficiently.
• 😀 APIs utilize CRUD operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete) implemented via HTTP methods: POST, GET, PUT, DELETE.
• 😀 In a microservices architecture, each service has its own API, which handles requests from the client and communicates with other services as needed.
• 😀 Microservices improve scalability, maintainability, and flexibility compared to monolithic applications.
• 😀 The e-commerce example illustrates how customer, product, and cart services can operate independently but communicate via APIs to fulfill complex requests.
• 😀 Microservices define how an application is structured, while APIs define how services interact and exchange data.
• 😀 Properly functioning APIs are essential to ensure that all microservices collaborate effectively and client requests are handled accurately.
• 😀 APIs can aggregate data from multiple microservices to generate comprehensive responses, such as combining customer, product, and cart details for an order.
• 😀 Understanding microservices and APIs is crucial for developers aspiring to build modern, scalable applications.

Q & A

What are microservices and why are they important in modern software development?

Microservices are small, independent services that communicate with each other to build an application. They are important because they allow software applications to be developed in a modular way, improving scalability, flexibility, and maintainability.

What is the difference between microservices and monolithic architecture?

Monolithic architecture involves having all functionalities of an application stored in a single unit, whereas microservices divide these functionalities into smaller, independent services. Microservices enable easier scaling and independent development of components.

Can you explain how an e-commerce application can be structured using microservices?

In an e-commerce application, functionalities like customer information, product catalog, and shopping cart can each be managed by separate microservices. For example, the customer microservice handles customer data, the product service manages product details, and the cart service takes care of the shopping cart.

What role do APIs play in microservices?

APIs act as the communication bridge between the client and the microservices. They enable the client to interact with various microservices, such as fetching product details or processing customer information, by sending and receiving requests and responses.

What are CRUD operations, and how do they relate to APIs?

CRUD stands for Create, Read, Update, and Delete. These operations are commonly used in APIs to manage data in applications. For example, an API might allow a user to create a new order (Create), retrieve order details (Read), update the order status (Update), or delete an order (Delete).

What are the main HTTP methods used in APIs and their functions?

The main HTTP methods used in APIs are POST (Create), GET (Read), PUT (Update), and DELETE (Delete). These methods correspond to CRUD operations and are used to manage resources through APIs.

How do microservices handle communication between different services?

Microservices communicate through APIs. Each microservice exposes its own API, allowing other services or clients to interact with it. For example, the customer service can send data to the product service through an API to complete an order request.

What is an API gateway, and how does it work in microservice architecture?

An API gateway acts as a reverse proxy that routes client requests to the appropriate microservice. It helps manage requests, load balancing, and security, and acts as a single entry point for the client to interact with multiple microservices.

Can microservices share a database, or must each service have its own database?

While each microservice can have its own database, it's also possible for multiple microservices to share a common database. The choice depends on the design and needs of the application, such as scalability or data consistency.

What are the key differences between microservices and APIs in terms of their roles in application development?

Microservices are architectural components that define how the application is structured into smaller, independent services. APIs, on the other hand, are a set of functions that allow communication between different services or between the client and services. In essence, APIs are the means by which microservices communicate with each other and with external clients.