How We Broke the Monolith (And What We’d Do Differently)
Article summary
We’ve worked with the same codebase for years. A classic layered .NET application that did a lot-but didn’t scale well across teams. Like many others, we started to feel the pull of microservices: the promise of faster deploys, independent teams, smaller codebases. But after weighing the cost, risk, and operational complexity, we made a different choice: We decided not to adopt microservices. Instead, we chose to break our monolith internally, refactor by boundaries, and keep the runtime and deployment unified. This post is a reflection on how we approached that choice-what worked, what didn’t, and what we’d recommend to others.
Read Full Article on MediumPractical takeaway
The main idea behind How We Broke the Monolith (And What We’d Do Differently) is to help teams move from broad theory to clear, repeatable decision making. When teams apply this thinking, they reduce ambiguity and focus on improvements that deliver measurable momentum.
Example scenario
Imagine a team facing competing priorities. By applying the ideas in How We Broke the Monolith (And What We’d Do Differently), they can map dependencies, identify risks and choose the next move that produces progress without destabilizing their system.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Trying to redesign everything instead of taking small steps.
- Ignoring real constraints like incentives, ownership or legacy systems.
- Creating documents that do not lead to any change in code or decisions.
How to apply this in real work
Start by identifying where How We Broke the Monolith (And What We’d Do Differently) already shows up in your architecture or delivery flow. Then pick one area where clarity would reduce friction. Apply the idea, measure its effect and share the learning.
Signs you are doing it correctly
- Teams make decisions faster and with fewer disagreements.
- Architectural conversations become clearer and less abstract.
- Changes land safely with fewer surprises or rework cycles.