There is a question about microservices communicating via gRPC. Suppose I have a user model, then I have to make the appropriate protobuf for him. Each of the microservices interacts with the user in its own way. From this, I have several questions:
- Will one protobuf be enough for me? Or do I need to make a separate interaction scenario for each one?
- Is it worth dividing the user into parts in different microservices at all? Or just give everyone one model (copy paste)?
- What is the best way to do: make each microservice its own authentication + authorization, or make a separate microservice provider that will give the user to the right service?
- What libraries can you recommend for gRPC?
- What can I read / watch to better understand the device of such an architecture?
I tried to search for resources on the web, but I couldn’t find anything intelligible and understandable
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Designing microservices architecture with gRPC communication involves several considerations. Let’s address your questions:
Protobuf Design:
It’s common to define one protobuf file for each service, encapsulating the data structures and RPC services specific to that service. However, if multiple services share the same user model and interaction patterns, a single protobuf definition for the user model could suffice.
If different microservices interact with the user in distinct ways, you might need separate protobuf definitions for each interaction scenario.
User Model Distribution:
Whether to split the user model across different microservices or keep it centralized depends on factors like data consistency, performance, and service boundaries.
If each microservice interacts with the user in unique ways, it might make sense to have separate user models in each service.
However, if the user model remains consistent across services and doesn’t introduce significant coupling or performance overhead, a centralized user model could simplify development.
Authentication and Authorization:
Centralized authentication and authorization, managed by a dedicated service (e.g., OAuth server), can simplify security management and ensure consistency across microservices.
However, depending on your requirements (e.g., regulatory compliance, service autonomy), individual microservices might implement their own authentication and authorization logic.
gRPC Libraries:
For gRPC implementation in various programming languages, you can use official gRPC libraries provided by Google. These libraries offer support for defining protobuf messages and services and implementing gRPC servers and clients.
Additionally, there are community-supported libraries and frameworks built on top of gRPC that provide additional features and integrations with specific platforms.
Learning Resources:
Google’s documentation on gRPC provides comprehensive guides, tutorials, and reference documentation for understanding and implementing gRPC.
Books like “Designing Distributed Systems” by Brendan Burns and “Microservices Patterns” by Chris Richardson offer insights into designing and implementing microservices architectures.
Online courses and tutorials on platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and Pluralsight cover topics related to microservices architecture, gRPC, and distributed systems design.
When designing microservices architecture with gRPC communication, consider factors such as service boundaries, data consistency, performance, security, and maintainability to make informed decisions. Experimentation and iterative refinement based on your specific requirements and constraints will help you arrive at the most suitable architecture for your application.
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