Monolith vs Microservices

A monolith deploys as one unit; microservices split the same capabilities into independently deployable services.

Intermediate 5 min Architecture
MONOLITHOne deployable unitMICROSERVICESIndependent deploymentsOrders · Billing · UsersShared codebase & databaseOrdersOwn dataBillingOwn dataUsersOwn data
Same capabilities, different deployment boundaries.

Hover a node to trace its connections · click or press Enter for a short explanation

Common misconception

"Microservices are always the modern, better choice."

They trade simplicity for independence. A small team with one product usually ships faster with a well-structured monolith; splitting helps when separate teams need to release separately.

Next conceptWhat is a CDN?A content delivery network serves copies of your content from locations close to the user.