Microservices architecture allows you to build large applications as a suite of small, independent services. Spring Cloud provides tools to build microservices.

Key Components

Service Registry and Discovery

Eureka helps services find each other dynamically.

API Gateway

Zuul acts as a centralized entry point for all client requests.

Configuration Server

Spring Cloud Config manages externalized configuration.

Distributed Tracing

Sleuth and Zipkin help trace requests across services.

Best Practices

• Keep services loosely coupled
• Design for failure
• Implement proper logging and monitoring
• Use asynchronous communication where possible

Microservices provide flexibility but also add operational complexity. Choose this architecture only when it fits your needs.