Are Distributed Systems and Microservices the Same?
Distributed systems and microservices are related concepts but not the same. Let’s break down the differences:
- Distributed Systems:
- A distributed system is a collection of independent computers that appear to its users as a single coherent system.
- In a distributed system, components located on networked computers communicate and coordinate their actions by passing messages.
- Distributed systems can encompass various architectures, including client-server, peer-to-peer, and more.
- Microservices:
- Microservices is an architectural style that structures an application as a collection of small, autonomous services, modeled around a business domain.
- Each microservice is a self-contained unit that can be developed, deployed, and scaled independently.
- Microservices communicate with each other over a network, typically using lightweight protocols like HTTP or messaging queues.
While microservices can be implemented in a distributed system, they are not same. Microservices focus on architectural design principles, emphasizing modularity, scalability, and flexibility, whereas distributed systems encompass a broader range of concepts, including communication protocols, fault tolerance, and concurrency control, among others.
What is a Distributed System?
A distributed System is a collection of autonomous computer systems that are physically separated but are connected by a centralized computer network that is equipped with distributed system software. The autonomous computers will communicate among each system by sharing resources and files and performing the tasks assigned to them.
Important Topics for a Distributed System
- Types of Distributed Systems
- Example of a Distributed System
- Characteristics of Distributed System
- Advantages of Distributed System
- Disadvantages of Distributed System
- Use cases of Distributed System
- Challenges of Distributed Systems
- Are Distributed Systems and Microservices the Same?