One of the most important aspects of software development is the architecture of your application. In simple terms, this is the blueprint that determines how your web app is structured and how its components interact with each other. Think back to the first medium- to large-sized app you ever built. Chances are, you unknowingly implemented monolithic architecture, which essentially means bundling all the code into a single codebase that is tightly coupled together.
But if you plan to efficiently scale your app — from handling hundreds of users to supporting hundreds of thousands — you’ll likely need to reconsider your approach. Enter microservice architecture. While microservices offer scalability and flexibility, they’re not the only option to consider when structuring an app. There are other factors to think about, such as:
- How many tiers does your application have?
- Where do each of your components live? Are they all on the same server, or do they have their own servers?
- Are you going serverless, or does the app rely on traditional server-based architecture?
- And, of course, are you developing for Web 2.0 or Web3? The latter may require a peer-to-peer approach instead of the classic client-server model.
In this article, I’ll break down the various types of web app architectures and explain their differences in a simple, digestible way. But before we dive into the technical stuff, let me quickly introduce a tool that can streamline your development process — JetBrains Space. They’ve sponsored this post, and I’ll explain how their platform can help with your architecture-related needs at the end of this article.
What is Web App Architecture?
At its core, web app architecture refers to the major components of your system, their relationships, and how they interact. Think of it as the skeleton of your web application. There are two main ways to lay out the architecture:
1. Client-Server Architecture
This is the fundamental architecture of the web and consists of the client side (front-end), server side (back-end), and the database. The client sends requests to the server, which processes the request, interacts with the database if necessary, and sends a response back to the client.
But it’s not always as simple as having a single client, server, and database on one machine. Software architectures can be broken into tiers depending on how you distribute these components across physical or virtual machines:
- One-tier architecture: All components (client, server, and database) reside on a single machine.
- Two-tier architecture: The client and server live on one machine, while the database resides on another machine; or the client lives separately, and the server and database are together.
- Three-tier architecture: Each component (client, server, and database) resides on its own separate machine.
- N-tier architecture: More than three tiers, where additional layers are added to meet specific responsibilities (e.g., separate services for logging, authentication, etc.).
Let’s use YouTube as an example. When you click on a video, your client (the web browser) sends an HTTP request to YouTube’s server. The server interacts with the database to fetch the relevant video data, metadata, user comments, etc., then returns that data to your client, where it’s displayed as the video you’re watching.
Most websites — from social platforms like Facebook and Twitter to your banking app — are built on client-server architecture.
2. Peer-to-Peer Architecture
Peer-to-peer (P2P) architecture is less common than client-server, but it plays a significant role in Web3 and blockchain technologies. Unlike client-server, where the server is the central hub, P2P relies on a distributed network of computers (nodes) that communicate directly with each other. This eliminates a single point of failure.
For example, blockchain technology (the foundation of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum) uses P2P to allow nodes to interact without a central server. This means that even if one node fails, the rest of the network continues to function without interruption.
While P2P is most often associated with Web3 applications, it is also used in online gaming (e.g., Blizzard uses P2P to share game data between players for games like Diablo 3 and StarCraft 2).
Types of Software Architectures
Beyond the basic client-server and peer-to-peer architectures, there are different ways to organize your app’s structure to optimize scalability, maintainability, and performance. Here are some of the most common architectural patterns:
1. Monolithic Architecture
In a monolithic architecture, everything is bundled together in a single codebase. All modules — including the front-end, back-end, and database logic — are tightly coupled and deployed as one unit. While this may sound straightforward, monolithic applications come with some major drawbacks:
- Scalability Issues: Scaling a monolithic app means scaling the entire thing, even if only one module requires additional resources.
- Single Point of Failure: A bug or failure in any part of the application can bring down the entire system.
- Deployment Complexity: Every time a developer makes a change, the entire app needs to be redeployed. If something breaks, it can affect the whole app.
Despite these limitations, monolithic apps are often simple to develop and deploy, making them a good choice for small to medium-sized projects.
2. Microservices Architecture
To overcome the challenges of monolithic applications, many organizations have turned to microservices architecture. In this approach, each distinct feature or service of the application (e.g., user authentication, product search, comments, etc.) is built and deployed independently. This allows for more flexibility, scalability, and fault tolerance.
For instance, in a video-sharing platform like YouTube:
- One team works on the video streaming service.
- Another team works on the search functionality.
- A third team is responsible for user comments.
Each service operates independently, and if one service breaks, it doesn’t affect the others. This modular approach allows teams to work on different services concurrently without stepping on each other’s toes. Additionally, services can be scaled independently based on demand.
3. Serverless Architecture
Serverless architecture (or Function-as-a-Service) takes microservices a step further by abstracting infrastructure management. Instead of managing entire services or servers, you break down the business logic into small, event-driven functions that run only when needed.
For example, in an online shopping application, you might have multiple services (e.g., catalog, checkout, shipping). With serverless computing, the individual components of these services are further broken down into smaller functions. For example:
- A shipping service might have a function that validates the shipping address, another function to generate a shipping label, and a third function to send a shipping confirmation email.
These serverless functions are triggered by specific events (e.g., a new order being placed) and are only executed when required, making them highly scalable and cost-efficient. Common platforms for serverless computing include AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, and Firebase Cloud Functions.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Architecture
Choosing the right architecture for your web app depends on several factors:
- The scale of your app: Will it handle just a few hundred users, or will it scale to hundreds of thousands?
- The complexity of the app: Does your app require highly modular and independent services, or can it be managed as a monolithic unit?
- The technology stack: Are you building for traditional web applications, or are you exploring newer approaches like Web3 and blockchain?
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