Microservices vs Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)

For anyone who has been developing web applications for 10 years or more, the recent rise of microservices sounds a lot like a development approach we already knew - service-oriented architecture (SOA). Both architectures are focused on breaking up large monolithic applications into collections of smaller independent services, and both come with the promise of simplifying development.

So, what sets them apart? Are microservices really just "SOA done right"? How do the two approaches differ? More importantly, are microservices really better than SOA, or are we doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past?

In this report, Mark Richards, an expert in enterprise architectures and distributed systems, walks you through a detailed comparison of microservices and SOA. By learning the core differences between the two with regard to architecture style and characteristics, service characteristics, and capability, you'll be able to make an informed choice when determining which is best for your particular situation.

Explore service contracts, availability, security, and transactions inherent in service-based architecturesCompare microservices and SOA architecture characteristics such as taxonomy, ownership and coordination, and granularityLearn the differences in architecture capabilities, including application scope, heterogeneous interoperability, and contract decoupling