An application whose complete execution occurs within one operating-system process.
A single-process system runs an entire application within one operating-system process. This architecture is easier to build and requires fewer technical and architectural skills than a microservices application. section 1.7
Use a single-process system when:
A new product needs a quick prototype before committing to the higher investment of microservices. section 1.7
The application has a small scope, stabilizes quickly, or is unlikely to evolve significantly. section 1.7
Plan for possible migration when growth makes flexibility, security, and scalability more important. section 1.7
Video-streaming application
A video-streaming application can be organized as one monolithic process rather than as separately deployed microservices. section 1.7
Figure 1.6 Monolith versus microservices. You can see that building with microservices offers many advantages over the traditional monolithic application.
Compare how a monolithic application groups services within one process with how microservices separate them. section 1.7
How Bootstrapping Microservices, Second Edition: With Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub Actions, and Terraform covers it
How deep it goes
Defines the architecture and explains its trade-offs, but does not descend into process internals or implementation steps.
Examples
Uses a video-streaming application, an early-stage product, and an early throwaway prototype as examples.
What it assumes
Assumes architectural decision-making but requires fewer technical and architectural skills than microservices.
What you can do after
Evaluate whether a monolithic architecture fits a product’s scope, maturity, and expected growth.
How it connects
Contrasts monoliths with microservices and connects architectural choice to flexibility, security, scalability, and application growth.
monolithic architectureincludes · Monolithic architecture is a software architecture in which an application's major functionality is organized and deployed as a single integrated unit.
This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Bootstrapping Microservices, Second Edition: With Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub Actions, and Terraform. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.
