Choose Between Microservices and Modular Monolith for a Scale-Up
Overview
What this challenge is about.
Audit the codebase: lines of code per Rails engine, deploy frequency, change-coupling between engines (using git co-change analysis), per-engine on-call burden. Survey the 4 squads on perceived pain points (deploy queue, test-suite time, debugging, cross-team handoffs). Apply the Team Topologies framework (Pais & Skelton) to map current vs target topology. Recommend one of: stay monolithic with hygiene, modular monolith with packs/engines hardening, or extract specific bounded contexts as microservices. Deliver: codebase audit, team-topology map, 9-page decision memo, 90-day execution plan for the chosen path.
The Brief
What you'll do, and what you'll demonstrate.
Recommend monolith vs modular monolith vs microservices for a 50-person engineering org with evidence from the codebase, team topology, and scaling pressures.
Earning criteria — what you'll demonstrate
- Use git co-change analysis to find bounded contexts in a Rails monolith
- Apply Team Topologies (Stream-aligned, Platform, Enabling, Complicated-Subsystem) to architecture decisions
- Compare microservices vs modular monolith vs status quo with evidence
- Write a decision memo that survives engineering scrutiny and gets sign-off
Program Fit
Where this fits in your program.
Sharpens the same skills your degree expects you to demonstrate.
Skills
Skills you'll demonstrate.
Each one shows up on your verified credential.
Careers
Roles this prepares you for.
Real titles. Real skill bridges. Pick the one closest to your trajectory.
Career mappings coming soon.