Micro x Macro Software Architectures

In the evolving world of software development, choosing the right architecture is key to building robust, scalable, and maintainable systems. Two critical perspectives often come into play: Micro Architecture and Macro Architecture. While these approaches focus on different aspects of system design, leveraging both is essential for creating resilient and adaptable software.

🤨 What is Micro Architecture?

Micro Architecture focuses on the internal structure and design of individual components or services. It dictates how a specific module or feature is implemented, emphasizing low-level details such as:

➡️ Coding practices and patterns (e.g., Factory, Singleton).
➡️ Internal APIs and interactions within a service.
➡️ Data structures, algorithms, and object relationships.

Examples

🤖 Password Hashing in an Authentication Module

Micro Architecture ensures that internal logic, such as password hashing, is efficient and secure.

const bcrypt = require('bcrypt');

// Micro: Internal implementation of password hashing
async function hashPassword(password) {
    const saltRounds = 10;
    return await bcrypt.hash(password, saltRounds);
}

async function verifyPassword(password, hashedPassword) {
    return await bcrypt.compare(password, hashedPassword);
}

module.exports = { hashPassword, verifyPassword };

🤖 Singleton Pattern for Database Connections

A Singleton ensures a single shared connection to a database.

const { MongoClient } = require('mongodb');

let instance = null;

async function getDatabase() {
    if (!instance) {
        const client = new MongoClient('mongodb://localhost:27017');
        instance = client.db('exampleDb');
    }
    return instance;
}

module.exports = { getDatabase };

🤖 Reusable Utility Functions

Encapsulate shared logic within services.

function validateEmail(email) {
    const emailRegex = /^[^\s@]+@[^\s@]+\.[^\s@]+$/;
    return emailRegex.test(email);
}

module.exports = { validateEmail };

🤨 What is Macro Architecture?

Macro Architecture, on the other hand, is about the big-picture structure of the system. It defines how different components or services interact and outlines high-level design principles such as:

➡️ System topology (e.g., monolith vs. microservices).
➡️ Communication protocols (e.g., REST, GraphQL, message queues).
➡️ Deployment strategies (e.g., container orchestration, serverless).

Examples

In the context of the same user authentication service, Macro Architecture addresses:

How the service communicates with other services (e.g., user profiles, payment systems).

Whether it is deployed as a standalone microservice or part of a monolith.

The use of an event bus for broadcasting authentication events.
Why You Need Both

1️⃣ Balance Between Granularity and Scalability

Micro Architecture ensures that each module is efficient and adheres to best practices.
Macro Architecture ensures that the entire system scales seamlessly, even as new modules are added.

2️⃣ Improved Collaboration

Macro Architecture provides the overall structure, helping teams understand how their work fits into the bigger picture.
Micro Architecture empowers individual teams to focus on fine-tuned, domain-specific solutions.

3️⃣ Adaptability

With strong Macro Architecture, you can easily replace or upgrade components.
With robust Micro Architecture, components are more maintainable and less prone to bugs.

4️⃣ Resilience to Failure

Macro Architecture enforces boundaries between services, ensuring that one service's failure doesn’t cascade.
Micro Architecture ensures fault tolerance and retry mechanisms within services.

Combining Micro and Macro Architectures

Here’s how to leverage both:

Aspect	Micro Architecture	Macro Architecture
Focus	Internal implementation details	System-wide communication and structure
Scope	Individual services or modules	Entire system or ecosystem
Key Design Choices	Design patterns, algorithms, APIs	Topology, protocols, deployment strategies
Example Decision	How to hash passwords	How authentication service communicates
Goal	Code quality, maintainability, efficiency	Scalability, reliability, system integrity
Responsibility	Ensuring the effectiveness of a single unit	Ensuring cohesion among all system components
Change Impact	Affects only the module	Affects the entire system
Flexibility	Enables rapid changes within a service	Facilitates long-term architectural goals

Macro and microarchitectures complement approaches rather than rival approaches. Macro Architecture makes sure the intricacies blend together into the overall system, whereas Micro Architecture focuses on the finer points. When combined, they provide durable, scalable, and maintainable software that can change to meet your company's demands.