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Relying on microservices rather than a monolithic architecture has become the new normal in software development. This is especially true for complex systems with numerous integrations.
According to Statista’s survey, nearly 85% of respondents from large organizations (over 5,000 employees) are currently utilizing microservices. An interesting fact is that most developers choose Java as a programming language for building microservice-based applications.
This article takes a closer look at the benefits and challenges of a microservices approach for modern businesses, and explores the popularity of Java in this domain. You’ll also find best practices for microservices Java architecture, a step-by-step guide on designing microservices in Java, and a list of frameworks and libraries you can use.
What Are Microservices?
Microservices are an advanced architectural and organizational approach to software development. With this architecture, applications are broken down into smaller, independently deployable services that communicate with each other through APIs. Such services can be created and maintained by small, self-contained teams. This lightweight approach contrasts with the traditional centralized monolithic architecture, where an entire application is built as a single, tightly integrated unit.
The decision to abandon a monolith in favor of microservices stems from several pitfalls of the former.
Imagine you need to add a new feature or fix an issue in your monolithic application. Since a monolith implies a single codebase with interconnected components, making changes without affecting the entire system is difficult. As a result, even a tiny modification might require rebuilding and redeploying the whole application, and you would risk facing unintended consequences or disruptions.
Monoliths are susceptible to mass failures, meaning that one problem in a single aspect of business logic can lead to a complete halt of the entire application. As a rule, unexpected and long downtime leads to a significant increase in customer churn and lost revenues.
A monolithic application, as it grows and becomes more complicated, suffers from slower response times and reduced scalability, especially during peak usage times. This results from the fact that the entire application must scale as a unit, regardless of which specific functionalities are experiencing higher demand. Thus, end users suffer from subpar app performance and are more inclined to switch to competitors.
While the transition to microservices brings its own set of challenges (which will be discussed later in this article), the benefits of improved scalability, faster development cycles, and more efficient resource utilization have led many organizations to embrace this architecture.
Core concepts of a microservices architecture
In microservices, an application is composed of individual components, each responsible for a specific piece of functionality. These components (aka services) are loosely coupled, meaning they operate independently and communicate through well-defined interfaces. Decoupling contributes to development and deployment flexibility, as it is easier to modify and scale individual services.
Microservices communicate with each other through various patterns, including RESTful APIs, RPC (Remote Procedure Call), and messaging. To ensure the interaction of a microservices-based system with external clients (mobile apps, web browsers, etc.), the API Gateway pattern is used. It’s a centralized service that acts as a single entry point for clients.
Each microservice manages its own data and database, typically adhering to a specific database technology. This autonomy ensures that services can use the most suitable data storage solution for their needs. Data consistency between services is maintained through well-defined APIs and eventual consistency mechanisms.
The overall system scalability is improved due to the capability of each microservice to scale up and down independently. Load balancing, in turn, efficiently spreads incoming requests across various service instances, optimizing the use of resources and boosting system performance.
Engineered with reliability in mind, microservices exhibit remarkable resilience against failures. Employing techniques such as circuit breakers, retries, and graceful degradation, they can continue functioning even when certain services experience disruptions. Fault tolerance is further supported through the implementation of redundancy and failover strategies.
An essential facet of guaranteeing security within microservices is the protection against unauthorized access. To accomplish this, specialists employ identity and access management (IAM) solutions rooted in established standards for user authentication, such as SAML, WS-Fed, or the OpenID Connect/OAuth2 frameworks. Secure communication channels (e.g., HTTPS) and data encryption protect data in transit. In addition, security measures should encompass the implementation of multifactor authentication (MFA).
What Are Microservices in Java?
The Java programming language is widely used for creating software solutions based on microservices.
According to Statista’s research findings, Java stands as the primary language employed by developers when it comes to constructing microservices. Java is favored by 34% of the survey participants, while Python is the choice of 14%, and Go is the preference of 12%.
Let’s explore why the majority of specialists prefer developing the architecture of microservices in Java.
The language is favored for microservices development due to its platform independence. Java code can run on various platforms without modification, meaning that microservices written in Java can be deployed on different operating systems and cloud environments.
Java offers strong memory management, garbage collection, and efficient multithreading capabilities. As a result, microservices can handle high workloads and maintain stable performance, crucial for applications that demand consistency.
The language boasts a variety of microservice-based Java libraries and frameworks, such as Spring Boot, Micronaut, and Quarkus, which simplify the development process and enhance performance.
Java’s security features are well-established and trusted by enterprises. The language offers various mechanisms and libraries to protect microservices from threats, making it a preferred choice for applications that prioritize data security and compliance.
With a vast collection of frameworks, libraries, tools, and components, as well as extensive community support, Java developers have access to a wealth of resources, documentation, and a network of experts. Whatever issue you may encounter when developing microservices, you can rest assured that you’ll address it quickly by leveraging the collective knowledge.
Java Microservices Benefits
Microservices are being used in various types of software solutions, including data analytics and business intelligence apps, database apps, CRMs, commerce apps, customer service apps, finance apps, and HR apps. The integration of microservices into these digital platforms is far from arbitrary; they reap a range of business benefits.
How Do Java Microservices Work?
Each Java microservice is responsible for a specific functionality within an application. Java frameworks like Spring Boot, Micronaut, or Quarkus facilitate the creation of microservices by providing tools for dependency injection, routing, database access, and integration with cloud-native platforms.
Java microservices are typically deployed in containerized environments (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes), enabling scalability, resilience, and portability across infrastructure. This modular approach enhances development agility, operational efficiency, and system reliability.
Microservices, while functioning independently, work together as a cohesive system due to communication via lightweight protocols like REST, gRPC, or messaging queues (e.g., Kafka).
Examples of Microservices Frameworks for Java
Selecting the right framework for microservices development is critical. Below is a detailed overview of popular Java microservices frameworks.
Spring Boot
The most widely used framework for building Java-based microservices, Spring Boot simplifies the development process by minimizing boilerplate code and offering an opinionated approach.
Key features
- Integration with the broader Spring ecosystem (Spring Cloud, Spring Security, etc.).
- Auto-configuration for rapid development.
- Support for embedded servers like Tomcat, Jetty, and Undertow.
- Comprehensive documentation and active community support.
Use Spring Boot for enterprise-grade microservices, applications requiring high customization, and integration with cloud-native platforms.
Micronaut
Designed for low-memory consumption and fast startup, Micronaut is tailored for building lightweight microservices and serverless applications.
Key features
- Dependency injection at compile-time for better performance.
- Built-in support for reactive programming and cloud-native features like service discovery.
- Native integration with GraalVM for ahead-of-time (AOT) compilation.
Use Micronaut for resource-constrained environments, serverless applications, and performance-critical microservices.
Quarkus
A Kubernetes-native Java framework optimized for fast boot times and reduced memory footprint, Quarkus is designed with cloud-native applications in mind.
Key features
- Native execution on GraalVM for ultra-fast startups.
- Reactive programming support with Mutiny.
- Seamless integration with Kubernetes and Knative.
- Developer-friendly features like live reload and an interactive CLI.
Use Quarkus for Kubernetes-based deployments, cloud-native applications, and event-driven architectures.
Dropwizard
Dropwizard is a minimalistic framework combining well-known Java libraries to build RESTful web services quickly.
Key features
- Out-of-the-box support for Jetty, Jersey, Jackson, and Metrics.
- Lightweight and easy to configure.
- Focused on operational concerns like health checks, metrics, and logging.
Use Dropwizard for rapid development of RESTful APIs and applications where simplicity and reliability are critical.
Eclipse Vert.x
Eclipse Vert.x is a polyglot, reactive framework for building high-performance, event-driven applications.
Key features
- Event-loop architecture for non-blocking I/O operations.
- Polyglot support (Java, Kotlin, JavaScript, and more).
- Clustered event bus for distributed microservices communication.
- Extensive support for reactive programming.
Use Eclipse Vert.x for real-time systems, high-throughput applications, and asynchronous messaging-based architectures.
Lagom
Lagom is a framework for building reactive microservices that communicate asynchronously.
Key features
- Built-in event sourcing and CQRS support.
- Integration with Akka and Play for reactive features.
- Service discovery and resilience patterns out of the box.
Use Lagom for systems requiring event-driven architecture and high responsiveness.
KumuluzEE
KumuluzEE is a lightweight framework for microservices based on Java EE standards.
Key features
- Supports Java EE technologies (CDI, JAX-RS, JSON-P).
- Optimized for microservice deployments with minimal overhead.
- Tools for configuration, discovery, and monitoring.
Use KumuluzEE for transitioning from monolithic Java EE applications to microservices.
Helidon
Helidon is a lightweight set of Java libraries for developing microservices.
Key features
- Two programming models: Helidon SE (functional) and Helidon MP (Java EE MicroProfile).
- Fast startup times and low resource consumption.
- Support for GraalVM native image compilation.
Use Helidon for cloud-native applications, serverless environments, and modular microservices.
Apache ServiceMix
Apache ServiceMix is a mature, open-source ESB (Enterprise Service Bus) framework for microservices and service-oriented architecture (SOA).
Key features
- Built on Apache Camel for integration patterns.
- Extensive support for messaging protocols (JMS, AMQP, etc.).
- Focus on interoperability and integration.
Use Apache ServiceMix for complex integration scenarios, legacy system modernization, and SOA-based microservices.
JHipster
JHipster is a development platform for generating and deploying Java microservices with front-end integrations.
Key features
- Scaffolding for microservices and front-end code (React, Angular, Vue.js).
- Integrated tools for Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD pipelines.
- Support for Spring Boot and reactive programming.
Use JHipster for rapid prototyping, full-stack microservices development, and developer-friendly environments.
Best Practices for Java Microservices Architecture
To create reliable and well-performing microservices, it’s essential to follow tried and trusted best practices.
Planning failure recovery
At the design phase, it’s crucial to consider the system resilience. With microservices, you should guarantee that individual service failures do not impact the entire system. To this end, implement retries, circuit breakers, and failover mechanisms.
Adhering to Database-per-Service pattern
Use a separate database for each service to maintain loose coupling and make services evolve independently without affecting others.
Automating CI/CD pipeline
Provide faster and more reliable delivery of updates across microservices by automating testing, building, and deployment through CI/CD pipelines.
Ensuring service security
Think about data protection in advance. Implement authentication (e.g., OAuth2), encryption, and role-based access control to prevent unauthorized access.
Maintaining code clarity
Write modular, clean, and well-documented code to simplify debugging, maintenance, and onboarding for microservices teams.
Selecting communication patterns
Use appropriate communication patterns like asynchronous messaging for loosely coupled services or REST/gRPC for synchronous communication to optimize service interaction.
Implementing API versioning
It’s highly important to ensure backward software compatibility so that clients could continue using older versions while microservices are updated and improved. With versioning, developers can roll out new features, bug fixes, and improvements incrementally. Versioning also provides clients the freedom to choose when to upgrade to a newer version of the API.
Designing Microservices in Java: a Step-by-Step Practical Guide
If you’re working with a bulky Java-based monolithic application and aiming for enhanced efficiency, transitioning to a microservices architecture is a promising solution. Here’s a comprehensive guide from SaM Solutions’ experts to help you through the process.
When transitioning from a monolithic application to microservices Java architecture, the first step is to break down the monolith into smaller services.
- Identify distinct functionalities or business processes within the monolith that can become independent services.
- Consider using modular programming and containerization. Java Platform Module System (JPMS) allows you to encapsulate code and dependencies into distinct modules. Additionally, containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes enable you to package microservices along with their dependencies for seamless deployment and scaling.
Clearly define the boundaries of each microservice to ensure they are self-contained. Establish API contracts and communication mechanisms between services.
- Leverage Java’s compatibility with RESTful APIs (using libraries like Spring Boot or JAX-RS), message queues, or gRPC to define these boundaries effectively.
- Utilize messaging protocols, such as Apache Kafka or RabbitMQ, for asynchronous communication between independent units.
- Swagger or OpenAPI specifications can assist in documenting and maintaining API contracts.
Striking the right balance in terms of service size is crucial. Microservices should be small enough to be manageable, but substantial enough to provide meaningful functionality. Java’s modular architecture and containerization can aid in creating services of appropriate size.
When determining the ideal service size, consider Java’s support for building lightweight microservices using frameworks like Spring Boot, Micronaut, or Quarkus. These frameworks enable you to create small, self-contained services that can be deployed independently. Microservices can be packaged as executable JAR files, further enhancing their modularity.
Define the responsibilities of each microservice. Ensure that they have a clear purpose and fulfill a specific business function. This clarity will help in developing and maintaining the services effectively. Leveraging domain-driven design (DDD) principles can also guide you in structuring services according to their specific business functions.
Consider how data will be managed within microservices. It’s a common practice to have a separate database per service. Java’s ecosystem offers a variety of database libraries and ORMs for efficient data management. Confirm that each service has control over its own data and can interact with other services through well-defined APIs.
Utilize transaction managers such as Atomikos or Bitronix to maintain data integrity and manage distributed transactions. Additionally, by leveraging frameworks like Spring Cloud Stream or Apache Kafka, you can implement event-driven architectures that streamline this process. Java’s capability to handle asynchronous communication via messaging systems allows you to separate transactional logic from microservices, guaranteeing data consistency and resilience to failures.
Challenges in Java Microservices
As your company explores the vast potential of microservices, it’s crucial to understand the challenges that come with this paradigm shift. Here, we outline some of the most prominent obstacles you may encounter.
While microservices-based development is notably demanding and resource-intensive, the potential benefits for a business can make it entirely worthwhile.
Why Cooperate with SaM Solutions?
When you choose SaM Solutions to implement your software idea, you are tapping into the expertise of professionals with decades of experience in Java development. With hundreds of successful projects and a profound understanding of microservices, our team is well-equipped to navigate the complexities of modern software architecture.
Whether you’re looking to transition from a monolithic structure to microservices or optimize your existing microservices ecosystem, SaM Solutions is ready to assist you.
Conclusion
Understanding what microservices architecture in Java entails is crucial for developers and businesses looking to enhance their applications. Java’s versatile ecosystem and strong community support allow for efficient development and deployment of microservices. Thus, transitioning to a microservices architecture in Java prepares your applications to adapt to future challenges and opportunities.
Aleg is an Architect, mentor and Chief Java Technologist with more than 20 years of experience in architecture and implementation of desktop, mobile, web & enterprise applications, using Java, JEE, Spring and other technologies.
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At the forefront of the tech industry since 2017, Natallia is devoted to her motto – to write about complicated things in an easily comprehensible manner. With her passion for writing as well as excellent research and interviewing skills, she shares valuable knowledge on various IT trends.
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Great job on this guide! There is highly useful information for those looking to optimize their monolithic architecture and considering Java as the main tool for this purpose.
I appreciate the information you share with us in this guide. It’s a must-read for anyone diving into microservices with Java.
The article breaks down microservices in Java beautifully. It’s perfect for both beginners and experienced developers looking to master this architectural pattern.
I agree that Java is a great option for developing microservices. This article is highly informative. It’s a great resource for understanding microservices and how they can be implemented effectively with Java.
Thanks for sharing! This guide clearly explains why people build microservices in Java. This architecture is a true gem for many business projects, so microservices experts are highly demanded.