Microservices architecture is a way to build an application using small, independent, interconnected services. This allows to boost scalability and speed up the development process. The approach to designing microservices differs greatly from creating a monolith architecture. Microservices patterns are a distributed system calling for specific techniques. Only qualified specialists can deal with such challenges as the maintenance of multiple connections and micro-databases. Therefore, hands-on experience is crucial for the successful implementation of such a solution.
There are a number of software development vendors capable of building a microservices architecture and then maintaining it efficiently. How to find the best dedicated development team for your business needs? Check out our list of points to consider.
1. DIVERSE TECHNOLOGICAL EXPERTISE
Microservices are a new approach to software design. It is actively gaining ground, so you can find a lot of programmers who are aware of the concept and are well-versed in its theoretical aspects. However, there are few software developers who have hands-on experience, which is crucial to the success of a project. Every company has unique business needs and engineering tasks. So microservices implementation can considerably vary in practice.
Which skills should microservices developers have?
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Data modelling (shared-nothing architectures, stateless systems, log aggregation, monitoring and other operational concerns);
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Asynchronous and event-driven programming (since it’s the way the microservice architecture functions);
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API development;
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Orchestration technologies (Kubernetes, Swarm, etc.);
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Understanding of Docker.
Not only will such competence allow you to build an application with the microservices architecture but it will also enable you to combine it with other architectural patterns. For instance, the combination of a monolith with microservices is often implemented by enterprises with legacy software that want to make a smooth transition to more efficient software design.
2. EXPERIENCE IN YOUR INDUSTRY
It is no less important to find a microservices provider that has proven experience in your industry. Microservices architecture is a pattern. Your outsourced developers need to understand which functions the services are developed for. So to build an efficient solution, it is essential to understand the business logic.
While checking the portfolio of a microservices vendor, pay special attention to the projects within your industry or related domains. For instance, if you operate in the finance sector and want to launch a modern omnichannel application, you should look for both microservices proficiency and fintech development expertise.
3. CLOUD SOLUTIONS DEVELOPMENT
Microservices are cloud-native technology. Therefore, the usage of the cloud is normally required when building microservices architecture. In addition, the cloud offers such benefits as flexibility, robust data recovery, decreased infrastructure costs, and increased collaboration within a company.
However, keep in mind the disadvantages of cloud computing, especially security and privacy issues. Make sure that the microservices provider you choose is experienced in maintaining clouds and dealing with their drawbacks.
4. AGILE MINDSET
The need to migrate to microservices often arises when the dedicated development team gets too big. As a result, it slows down and it takes more and more time to implement new features. In addition, it’s difficult to scale such a team further.
Microservices need to be developed in small agile teams. So, choose a vendor with adopted agile culture and be ready to give autonomy to your software developers. If you already have a big dedicated team working on your product, be ready to reorganize it into several agile teams and make them more independent. Also, your nearshore microservices provider should have experience in delivering such projects. Company management should be able to synchronize the work of all your teams and scale them when needed.
5. BUILDING A LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP
Microservices architecture is always highly customized. It requires a solid understanding of the product and the business logic. So changing a microservices provider in the middle of the project or switching from one team to another will be distressing and costly.
First of all, consider established IT providers that have been on the market for a while. Look for the companies that understand the importance of accumulated knowledge for the success of the project and know how to build long-term partnerships. Also, they should have a positive employer image and enough capacities to scale up your dedicated team.
6. POST-LAUNCH SUPPORT
The knowledge of your microservices architecture is especially valuable due to its custom-made structure. Your outsourced developers accumulate this expertise while building your application, and it is very important for the proper maintenance of your product. So make sure that your outsourced team offers full post-launch support.
To increase efficiency and avoid risks during releases of new functionality, they should also be able to automate the release process. Moreover, the team that knows they would be responsible for solution support, will try to foresee and mitigate as many risks as possible. They will protect it against security breaches and vulnerabilities, and they will think about its scalability from day one.
7. PROJECT CASE STUDIES ON MICROSERVICES
A case study is a good proof of the expertise and real experience of the microservices vendor. So never forget to check out the delivered projects. Apparently, companies might not disclose a lot of specific details about the solution architecture and the technologies used. But if they present the case studies involving microservices, you can take a glimpse into their real projects and then request more information.
You already know what aspects to consider while choosing the microservices provider. Now, we would like to extend the topic even further and give you examples of Ukrainian companies that have experience in microservices. We have chosen Ukraine, as it is one of the most popular outsourcing destinations worldwide.
Tech companies from across the globe partner with Ukrainian microservices vendors to rebuild their legacy solutions based on the monolith architecture, develop new software products from scratch, and extend their on-site teams.
We have researched platforms, such as Clutch.co, GoodFirms.co, the Manifest, and others to select five most reliable microservices providers in Ukraine. We also paid attention to Linkedin profiles of these vendors, their portfolios, and information on the number of employees, years on the market, key services and industries they serve.
BEST UKRAINIAN MICROSERVICES PROVIDERS
- N-iX
N-iX is a leading software development company and microservices provider in Eastern Europe. This vendor has over 18 years of experience in the global IT market. Also, the company was recognized as a top custom software development company by Forrester, listed in the Global Outsourcing 100 published by IAOP, and ranked among the top business service providers in Eastern Europe by Clutch for several consecutive years.N-iX professionals help businesses build microservices architecture from scratch, migrate from monolith to microservices, and add microservices to the existing monolith. They choose the strategy that fits a specific business case best.
This microservices provider has helped many companies scale up development and operations. The vendor has built long-standing partnerships (5+ years) with such market leaders, as Lebara, Efficio, Currencycloud, Vable, and others.
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Softserve
This microservices vendor specializes in consultancy services and software development. The company has provided help with migration to microservices to businesses in many industries, such as media, healthcare, security, and others. The company assists its clients in all phases of the solution development lifecycle including design, migration, deployment, ongoing 24/7 support, monitoring, administration, cost optimization, and security compliance.
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Infopulse
The microservices vendor helps businesses in various industries, such as automotive, banking, energy, healthcare, fintech, and others. The core competencies of the company are software development, cloud development and migration, systems integration, cybersecurity services, quality assurance, and more.
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TEAM International
This microservices provider is a US-owned IT consultancy, however, it has development centers in Ukraine. This vendor specializes in software development, modernization of legacy software with microservices, test automation services, data analytics, and others.
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Waverley
This microservices provider has over 200 technical specialists and builds distributed development teams in Ukraine and Vietnam. The expertise of the company includes software architecture, IoT, DevOps, AI, UI/UX design, and others.
This vendor cooperates primarily with mid-market businesses in such industries as finance, healthcare, education, retail, and telecom.
Read more: Micro frontends: pros, cons, best practices
TAKEAWAY
Hiring good engineers that have expertise in microservices is a challenge. And finding a reliable software development vendor that can implement an effective microservices development strategy that fits your business case is even more difficult. There are a lot of IT outsourcing providers so you should establish clear criteria for choosing a partner. Consider their technological stack, successfully delivered projects, ability to build long-term partnerships and scale your dedicated team when needed, and don’t forget about the hands-on experience in building a microservices architecture. Or just contact our experts, and we’ll help you gather the dedicated team you need.
