Microservices architecture is a popular approach to building modern applications, where each service is designed to perform a specific set of tasks independently. Each microservice has its own database and communicates with other microservices through APIs. While this architecture provides many benefits, such as flexibility, scalability, and ease of maintenance, there are some potential drawbacks to consider. One such drawback is sharing a database between microservices.
In this blog post, we will explore why sharing a database between microservices is not a good idea and discuss how it can impact scaling people, scaling the application, and more.
Scaling People
Sharing a database between microservices can make it difficult to scale teams responsible for each service. When multiple teams are working on the same database, they may step on each other’s toes, leading to conflicts, misunderstandings, and delays. This can result in slower development cycles and decreased productivity. Each team should be able to work independently, with minimal impact on other teams, to maintain a high level of agility and deliver value to customers quickly.
Furthermore, sharing a database between microservices can also lead to a lack of ownership and accountability. If one team is responsible for maintaining the database, it may be challenging to determine who is responsible for specific issues or bugs. This can lead to a lack of transparency and trust among team members, which can further slow down development.
Scaling the Application
Sharing a database between microservices can also impact the scalability of the application. Each microservice should be designed to scale independently, and sharing a database can make it difficult to achieve this. For example, if one microservice experiences a sudden surge in traffic, it may cause performance issues for other services sharing the same database.
Moreover, sharing a database can lead to tight coupling between services, making it difficult to modify or add new functionality to the application. A change in one service may require modifications to the database schema, which can impact other services. This can lead to long deployment cycles and increase the risk of breaking changes.
Data Consistency
Data consistency is another significant concern when sharing a database between microservices. If each microservice has its own database, it can maintain data consistency by implementing a consistent data model and using transactions. However, if multiple microservices share a database, it can be challenging to maintain data consistency, especially if multiple services are updating the same data.
Moreover, sharing a database can lead to security concerns, as each microservice may require different access privileges to the database. This can result in complex permission schemes that are difficult to manage and audit.
Conclusion
In conclusion, sharing a database between microservices is not a good idea due to its impact on scaling people, scaling the application, and data consistency. Each microservice should have its own database to ensure independent scalability, maintain data consistency, and reduce the risk of security concerns. While sharing a database may seem like a simple solution, it can cause more problems in the long run and hinder the benefits of a microservices architecture.