Strangler pattern

As explained in Kafka for Architects

The strangler fig pattern is an incremental replacement approach in which a new implementation gradually takes over functionality from a legacy system.

The strangler pattern replaces a legacy application incrementally: new functionality is introduced alongside old functionality, then validated before the older implementation is retired. This avoids all-at-once replacement, downtime, and disruptive data migration. section 6.2.5

Event-driven migrations commonly coordinate versions through:

• Backward compatibility: upgrade consumers first so new consumers can read older events. section 6.2.5
• Forward compatibility: upgrade producers first so older consumers can process newer events. section 6.2.5
• Schema compatibility rules, enforced by schema repositories, prevent consumers from failing during deserialization. section 6.2.5

Figure 6.11 The new version of producer, consumer, and channel are deployed in the same environment as the old ones. After validation of the new version, the old one can be retired.

Shows old and new producers, consumers, and channels operating together until the validated new version replaces the old one. section 6.2.5

How Kafka for Architects covers it

How deep it goes

Explains coexistence, compatibility direction, schema validation, and retirement, but stops short of implementation walkthroughs.

Examples

Uses concurrent producers, consumers, and channels, followed by validation and retirement of the legacy deployment.

What it assumes

Assumes producers, consumers, events, channels, and schemas; teaches how their versions coexist during migration.

What you can do after

Apply the pattern by coexisting versions, selecting compatibility direction, validating schemas, and retiring the legacy implementation.

How it connects

Connects application migration with event versioning, backward compatibility, forward compatibility, and schema compatibility.

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Also explained in

• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Google Anthos in ActionThe strangler fig pattern incrementally replaces parts of a legacy system with new implementations until the legacy system is reduced or removed.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Architecture Modernization: Socio-technical alignment of software, strategy, and structureThe strangler fig pattern is a migration pattern that gradually replaces an existing system by routing increasing responsibility to a new system until the old system is no longer needed.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  ASP.NET Core in Action, 3eThe strangler fig pattern is an incremental modernization pattern in which new functionality gradually replaces parts of an existing system until the legacy system can be retired.

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Related concepts

• legacy systemaddresses · A legacy system is an existing software or computing system that remains in use or must be maintained despite older technologies, designs, or constraints that can complicate change.
• feature flaguses · A feature flag is a configuration control that conditionally enables, disables, or selects a software feature or behavior.
• microservice architectureused by · Microservice architecture is a software architectural style that organizes an application as independently deployable services with focused responsibilities that communicate through defined interfaces.
• YAGNI principleimplements · The YAGNI principle is a software design discipline of avoiding functionality or structure until a concrete need for it arises.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Kafka for Architects. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.