What are microservices?

Microservices, or microservice architecture, is an architectural style that structures an application as a collection of loosely coupled services. Each service is designed to perform a specific business function and can be developed, deployed, and scaled independently. This approach contrasts with monolithic architecture, where all components of an application are tightly integrated into a single codebase.

Key characteristics of microservices include:

1. Single Responsibility: Each service focuses on a specific business capability.
2. Independent Deployment: Services can be updated or replaced without affecting others.
3. Technology Diversity: Different services can use different programming languages, databases, or frameworks.
4. Decentralized Data Management: Each service manages its own database, reducing dependencies.
5. Resilience: Failures in one service do not necessarily cascade to others.

Example:
An e-commerce application might be broken down into microservices such as:

• User Service: Manages user authentication and profiles.
• Product Service: Handles product catalog and inventory.
• Order Service: Processes orders and payments.
• Shipping Service: Manages logistics and delivery.

If the Order Service experiences high traffic during a sale, it can be scaled independently without impacting other services like User Service or Product Service.

In cloud environments, microservices benefit from scalable and flexible infrastructure. For instance, Tencent Cloud's Container Service allows you to deploy and manage microservices in containers, ensuring efficient resource utilization and high availability. Additionally, Tencent Cloud's API Gateway helps manage communication between microservices, while Tencent Cloud's Monitoring and Logging Services provide insights into the performance and health of each service.