Monolite vs Microservices: the eternal duel (and because sometimes wins the monolith)

In modern software development, choosing between a monolithic architecture and microservices is one of the most debated decisions. On one hand, microservices promise scalability, modularity, and development independence; on the other, monoliths represent simplicity, coherence, and easier management—especially in small to medium projects. But which is truly the better solution? And why, despite enthusiasm for microservices, does the monolith often end up winning?

A monolithic architecture is a single integrated application where all functionalities are developed and deployed as one unit. This approach reduces initial complexity, simplifies debugging, and allows more direct control over the entire codebase. For small teams or projects with less dynamic requirements, the monolith offers faster development and less infrastructural overhead. Moreover, monoliths do not require sophisticated orchestration or inter-component communication systems, which can be sources of issues in microservices.

Microservices, conversely, break the application into independent services communicating via APIs or messaging. This enables selective scalability, adoption of different technologies for specific components, and parallel work by distributed teams. However, microservices increase architectural complexity, require advanced tools for management, monitoring, and deployment, and introduce risks related to networking, latency, and data consistency.

The truth is, there is no absolute “right” or “wrong” choice. The monolith may be more advantageous when the team is small, the application domain is well-defined, and the goal is rapid time-to-market. Microservices become necessary as scale, complexity, and distributed work increase—but they must be approached with the proper technical and organizational maturity.

Finally, a well-designed, modular monolith can gradually evolve into a microservices architecture, combining the best of both worlds. The secret lies in balance and awareness of trade-offs, without being blinded by technology trends.