difference between microservices and rest api

What is the difference between microservices and REST API? let's talk

Imagine you are building a robot. Each joint requires an independent servo to control rotation, and these servos must coordinate with each other to transmit signals. At this time, someone suggested to you: How about putting all the control circuits into a box and wiring them uniformly? Or should we equip each servo with a small intelligent controller, let them perform their respective duties, and then communicate in a simple and universal way?

Does this question sound familiar to you? In fact, in the software world, this confusion occurs every day. That's right, we are talking about the words "microservices" and "REST API" that are often confused together. Many people don't understand the difference between them and even think they are the same thing. The result? When designing the system, I always feel like something is wrong, and maintaining it later feels like unraveling a mess.

So, let’s just chat casually today and get this out of the way. Don’t worry about the terminology, we’ll just speak in the vernacular.

First figure it out: who are they?

Let’s use an analogy. You walk into a big restaurant. If this store has a "microservice" architecture, the chef may be divided into several independent groups: the cold cuts group only focuses on salads, the barbecue group focuses on barbecue, and the dessert group focuses on making cakes. Each team has its own kitchen space, dedicated tools and workflows, and communicates needs to each other via a standard piece of paper, such as an order form. This "paper note system" is like a REST API.

Do you see the way through? Microservices is an architectural idea - it breaks a large application into many small services that run independently and focus on specific functions, just like those groups in a restaurant with clear division of labor. Each service takes care of its own business and can be developed, deployed and even restarted independently without affecting other parts. The REST API is a communication protocol, an HTTP-based "way of speaking" agreed between services, just like the standard format order note.

Simply put, microservices are a "divide and conquer" team structure, and REST API is the common "communication language" within the team. You can use REST API to connect microservices, but REST API can also be used in other architectures. It's not exclusive to microservices.

So why separate? What's the benefit?

You may want to ask, wouldn’t it be nice to have a “big monolithic” application that packages all the code together? Why go to the trouble of splitting it up?

Think about your robot. If all the control logic is squeezed onto one motherboard, once you want to upgrade a certain joint, you may have to stop the entire robot, rewrite, test, and then deploy. Not to mention the trouble, the risks are also high. But if you use an independent microcontroller (microservice) for each joint (functional module), the situation changes. You can update the grasping logic of the manipulator independently without affecting the movement module of the chassis at all. The entire system becomes more flexible and robust.

"But," someone will mutter, "if the services are broken up, how can they talk to each other reliably?" This goes back to what we call "communication language". The reason why REST API is popular is that it is simple and universal, like Mandarin in the Internet world. It uses the common actions of the HTTP protocol - GET (get), POST (create), PUT (update), DELETE (delete) to convey intentions. When service A needs data, it sends a clearly formatted HTTP request to service B, and service B returns a data packet in a standard format (usually JSON). Clear and developer-friendly.

How do we use them?

existkpower, we have been exposed to many integration scenarios. For example, there is a project that requires the central control system to flexibly schedule dozens of different types of servo motors, while also providing real-time status feedback. The early plan was to write all the control logic into a giant program. What was the result? Every time a new motor model was added, the code quivered and the test cycles were painfully long.

Later, I switched to microservice architecture. We split the functions of motor control, status monitoring, fault diagnosis, and logging into independent small services. Each service focuses on doing one thing well. How do they talk to each other? That is through a well-designed and clearly documented REST API. For example, if the status monitoring service wants to know the real-time torque of motor No. 3, it sends a GET /api/motors/3/torque request to the motor control service, and immediately gets a clear string of data. Upgrade diagnostics? As long as the diagnostic service is enabled, everything else will run as usual.

This model makes iterations brisk and reduces coupling between teams. The colleague responsible for motor control can focus on his work. As long as he abides by the API "communication contract" agreed in advance, he is not afraid of affecting other modules.

What should you pay attention to when choosing?

So, if you’re thinking about structuring your own project, don’t just look at buzzwords. Ask yourself:

• Is your system complex? Will some parts be frequently expanded or changed in the future? (If so, the independence of a microservices architecture may be an advantage.)
• What is your team structure like? Is it suitable for multiple small teams to develop different modules in parallel?
• How do services need to communicate with each other? How high are the real-time and reliability requirements? (REST API is a common choice, but not the only one; sometimes a message queue or other protocol is more suitable.)

There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Just like choosing a servo for a robot, it depends on the load, accuracy and response speed requirements. Microservices and REST API are a powerful combination of tools, but only by understanding their respective roles can you use them smoothly.

After all, technology serves a purpose. Clear architecture and efficient communication are ultimately intended to make the system more robust and easier to maintain. Just like a precise mechanical structure, each component operates appropriately and coordinates to output precise power. existkpower, we believe that by dismantling things clearly and then connecting them in the most common way, we can often move forward more steadily and further. I hope this casual sharing can help you clarify your next steps.

Established in 2005,kpowerhas been dedicated to a professional compact motion unit manufacturer, headquartered in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, China. Leveraging innovations in modular drive technology, Kpower integrates high-performance motors, precision reducers, and multi-protocol control systems to provide efficient and customized smart drive system solutions. Kpower has delivered professional drive system solutions to over 500 enterprise clients globally with products covering various fields such as Smart Home Systems, Automatic Electronics, Robotics, Precision Agriculture, Drones, and Industrial Automation.