Microservices is essentially a software design practice where an application comprises small independent services for developing cloud applications. Microservices feature scalability, better communication, enhanced resilience, and maintainability. However, because of the complexity of the microservices architecture, testing is vulnerable to challenges.
Today, businesses look for flexible and scalable solutions. They need fast and reliable solutions to meet the ever-evolving needs of consumers. Microservices testing ensures the efficient performance of applications. Nevertheless, with the introduction of microservices architecture, testing has become a challenge. In this article, we will deal with a few challenges and benefits of microservices testing and how it helps businesses to optimize their operations. Let’s go!
Challenges in Microservices Testing in 2023
1. Debugging and Integration Testing
To implement integration tests, a QA specialist should know every service software delivers. Also, often one service component does not know other service components. Since microservices-based applications involve several complexities, every individual service should be tested independently. Therefore, there are chances that functionalities of services will not be tested in some cases. Also in end-to-end testing, the collaboration between services becomes hard. To add to the woes, the cost will be higher to run end-to-end tests. Further, slow test automation services make it difficult to provide accurate feedback.
2. Lack of Collaboration
Since there are several teams working on enhancing functionalities at a time, it is very difficult to unify the overall software development. In a microservices architecture, the smaller independent services are deployed on several servers. It requires coordinating individual elements which rather becomes almost impossible particularly when you have a sudden increase in the application usage.
3. Decoupled Architecture
Decoupled microservice architecture allows each component to perform tasks independently. Each microservice has its own independent database. Nevertheless, in certain applications, there is no need to have a decoupling database. Therefore, it requires careful contemplation to verify the microservices that need decoupled architecture.
4. Design Issues
As against monolithic architecture, there is increased complexity involved in designing microservices. It is difficult to identify its size, connection points, the framework for services integration, and many more. Each microservice has specific functionality and does not cover every single aspect of the business. Determining the proper boundaries and size for microservice also seems challenging for designers.
5. Software Re-architecting
Software developers have to work hard to redesign the application to work as per microservices architecture. It is always possible, especially in an organization where there are large systems. Re-architecting moves the application out of the main codebase and involves changes to the existing codebase.
Benefits of Microservices Testing
Recently, microservices architecture has become a favorite option to develop and deploy complex software programs. Microservices split applications into smaller components with specific responsibilities for each component. Let’s check a few benefits of microservices architecture and the reasons why it is preferred.
1. Easy to Build
Microservices require less code than other applications. Also, they perform better in testing and incremental code updates become easier. It requires lower testing effort and minimizes risks. Also, users need not be concerned about one task affecting the other. Further, no strict messaging format is needed. Several developers can work together on a single microservice architecture while working on different technologies.
2. Scalability
It is often perceived that the performance in microservices architecture gets affected as there are several independent components. However, when the workload scales up with more data, it is easy to deploy additional microservices to reduce the load using more hardware resources. On the other hand, in monolithic architecture handling more load needs several significant changes which further pose a greater risk for errors.
3. Easy Deployment
Microservice architecture when compared to monolithic applications is easier to deploy. Indeed it is built as well as they’re easier to build as they are small.
With the absence of dependency conflicts, microservices is ideal for deploying with other technologies. Above all, microservices architecture can be deployed in serverless environments, in the cloud, at the edge, or on-premises. There are endless options when using microservices.
4. Use of New Technologies
Each microservice is technically independent, there is the absence of dependency concerns, unlike monolithic architecture. It is easy to make changes and there are fewer codes. For this reason, companies can use different technologies for storing information. It simply gives developers the opportunity for testing and experimentation. Also, implement any upgrade only on critical app components with new technology.
Conclusion
If you plan to implement microservices, make sure that you have the perfect platform for developing microservices. Also, state what you want to achieve from your microservice platform. Identifying the right service size and making the choice of rewriting or partitioning existing services is considered significant. Microservices testing has challenges as well as benefits. Simply put, it is always wise to plan automation testing to derive maximum benefits from microservices architecture and mitigate the possible challenges.
