Microservices - also known as the microservice architecture - is an architectural style of software that structures an application as a collection of services. This software is layered, so instead of a monolithic app, where you have one application that includes all the functions of the software, Microservices is a collection of separate apps. These services can be built, deployed and scaled independently.
Microservices are becoming more popular among software developers as they work on increasingly larger and more complex applications. It’s easier to develop such applications when they consist of a combination of smaller services (Microservices) that are interconnected and work together.
Microservices contain several independent applications which are able to run individually. They can be created by using different programming languages and even different platforms. The use of Microservices allows structuring large and complicated applications with simpler independent programs that run on their own. The combination of these smaller programs still provide all the functionality of a large, monolithic app.
When using Microservices, it’s also possible for different (teams of) developers to work with their preferred tools and within their preferred framework. They build separate applications that function as a whole. Microservices communicate with each other and can have unique URLs or names, while being available and consistent, even when errors occur.
An example of Microservices in practice is a webshop with different services built on a layered architecture: there is an order service that handles orders, a payment service and a shopping cart service. These are all Microservices that are created as separate parts but that do communicate with each other. The advantage is that you can also reuse parts of it. In that sense, the Microservices function as pieces of Lego.