Startups often encounter challenges when prioritizing business growth over code quality, resulting in code sprawl and tightly coupled services. Managing even minor features or changes turns into a substantial burden and as a solution, several startups have turned to microservices. However, this introduces another set of issues such as orchestration, lifecycle management, and versioning dependencies.
Gauge, a promising startup, is addressing these issues by providing open-source solutions to this microservices versus monolith debate that startups face. Using a tool developed by Gauge known as Tach, teams can now create modular monoliths by integrating the functionality of microservices into their monolith, but avoid the complications that come with them. Tach allows teams to break a monolith into separate modules with define interfaces; by doing so, they can reap the benefits of microservices without dealing with the complexity.
Gauge has recently made enhancements to Tach, such as adding support for test effect analysis, visualization, and a rewrite of the core in Rust that offers approximately 19 times the speed. These changes offer relief from the complicated intricacies of using microservices.
Tach manages Python module dependencies and prevents tightly couplings through specifying public interfaces. This leads to a modular, decoupled design that makes development and maintenance easier. Additionally, Tach ensures that errors are flagged when modules fail to declare dependencies or when modules import others without using the designated public interface.
Apart from its core function, Tach is a command-line tool, making it a fitting solution for executing continuous integration checks and pre-commit hooks. Tach is a free and public tool, easy to install and implement, and doesn’t affect runtime. It is also compatible with systems currently in use, expanding its usability.
Gauge plans to further introduce smart features like intelligent cached task execution, architecture enforcement, and smarter build and deployment pipelines to enhance the scalability of modular monoliths. Additionally, Gauge presents a novel approach that allows customers to deploy the modular monolith as a set of standalone services. This method captures the remaining benefits of microservices, including fault tolerance and independent scalability.
In conclusion, Gauge, through its innovative tool Tach, provides an open-source solution to the trade-off between microservices and monoliths that many startups encounter. It breaks monoliths into modular units and integrates microservices’ benefits, reducing complexity and ensuring easier maintainability. Gauge’s continued enhancements and planned features make it a promising solution for startups and the microservices versus monolith dilemma they grapple with.
