Monolithic and microservices are two architectural styles used in developing software applications.
A monolithic architecture is a traditional way of building software applications where the entire application is built as a single, self-contained unit. All the components of the application are tightly coupled, and any change in one component can affect the entire application. In a monolithic architecture, scaling is done vertically by adding more resources to the same machine.
On the other hand, a microservices architecture is an approach to building software applications that involves breaking down an application into small, independent services that communicate with each other through APIs. Each service is built and deployed independently, and they can be written in different programming languages and use different data storage technologies. Scaling is done horizontally by adding more instances of a service.
The choice between monolithic and microservices architecture depends on the complexity of the application and the needs of the business. Monolithic architectures are simpler to develop and maintain, but they can become difficult to scale and evolve over time. Microservices architectures provide more flexibility and scalability, but they require more effort to develop, deploy, and manage.