Designing Distributed Systems: Self-Contained Systems and Microservices

Choosing the right architectural pattern is critical when moving away from monolithic applications. Understanding the fundamental differences between Self-Contained Systems (SCS) and Microservices helps you make informed design decisions that align with your organizational goals. This course guides you through the core concepts, design philosophies, and integration strategies of both architectural styles. You will learn how to evaluate tradeoffs in deployment independence, scalability, communication patterns, and security to build resilient, modern distributed systems. What you'll learn: Understand the foundational concepts and definitions of Self-Contained Systems and Microservices; Compare deployment models and operational complexity between both approaches; Analyze communication patterns, including synchronous APIs, asynchronous messaging, and UI integration; Apply security best practices, focusing on decentralized authorization and modern authentication flows; Evaluate scalability and data ownership strategies to prevent distributed monolith anti-patterns. The course begins with essential architectural definitions and core principles before comparing deployment, communication, and security strategies. You will read through detailed architectural scenarios and analyze practical design decisions through written exercises. This course is designed for aspiring software architects, developers, and system designers looking to understand modern distributed architecture. No prior experience with microservices is required. Start reading today to master the architectural patterns that power modern software systems.