Let us talk about Microservices [topic introduction]

According to Wikipedia, the Microservices definition is:

In computing, microservices is a software architecture design pattern, in which complex applications are composed of small, independent processes communicating with each other using language-agnostic APIs. These services are small, highly decoupled and focus on doing a small task.

This definition includes concepts from James Lewis and Martin Fowler great article Microservices and Sam Newman's shiny new book: Building Microservices.

Since there are those and many other places where you can begin your path to total microservices enlightenment, I will not be torturing you with any more "This is my take on this topic" type of article. Instead, I will dedicate a few of my ruminations to write about the design and implementation of Persona-HRM (Code Name), an Open Source Human Resources Management platform in which I intend to use Microservices quite heavily. I am hoping this project will create a small community that will gather, not around the concept of HRM (a topic which I believe, sorely needs an injection of new life), but around the technology used to build it.

Although the focus will be on Microservices, I will be covering topics such as API design best practices, WebComponents, HTML5 WebSockets, mobility, proximity sensors (NFC) and some other interesting current technologies.

I invite you to comment, give your input, your feedback and help make this a learning opportunity for all.

Without further ado, I turn to my trusty keyboard to start the journey. I hope to see you along the road.

End of the trail at Bajamar, trekking in Tenerife's North Coast.

Photo Credits: Paulo Márquez Herrero

API First

API First? But of course!

I reckon, if you are creating a simple, one page personal website, designing an API may not apply to your project. In this case you would be more likely to consume them (twitter feed, facebook likes, recent github activity, etc.) than to publish your own, but you would be using them anyways.

In today's connected web, a very broad range of applications worth developing (or rewriting) would benefit from publishing an API for consumption by third parties.

For a long time, software has been moving away from its monolithic: one-package-does-it-all origin, and with each new step, new challenges have risen, have been addressed and solved, sometimes in elegant ways, sometimes not so much.

But now, at the end of 2014, software applications can be written to take advantage of a number of technologies that allow us programmers to deliver a fully functioning, distributed and completely decoupled solution, which relies on APIs across the board to bind the desired functionality, saving a lot of time and money in the process.

So, if you are thinking of your next killer application or even rewriting a legacy one to cope with current times, do yourself a favor, think API-First, you'll be glad you did.

SUN Microsystems' slogan was: The Network is the Computer. SUN's slogan was way ahead of their own time, It is just too bad that they did not live long enough to see it become a great and inclusive reality.

SUN Microsystems is [nowadays] a registered trademark of ORACLE CORPORATION, all rights reserved.

Entrance to the Muelle Norte (North Pier) at the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Seaport

Photo Credit: Paulo Márquez Herrero