Serverless Architecture vs. Microservices: How They Work Together

The main difference between serverless architecture vs microservices is that they conform to different moments of a webapp’s existence. Actually, both can mix well, if the platform allows for it. Many developers know this, and are turning to serverless architecture and microservices so they can deploy apps and run them without depending on monolithic codebases. On a 2023 Gartner report, 74% of surveyed organizations were already using microservices, and the global serverless market is projected to hit $21.1 billion by 2026. It’s clear that these practices are increasingly popular choices in contemporary app development.

But, for some developers, when considering where or how these apps should run, serverless and microservices might seem like entirely independent alternatives. But are they really opposite approaches? Not quite. Serverless takes the weight of managing infrastructure off developers’ shoulders, while microservices break apps into smaller, independent parts — which makes serverless the perfect environment for deploying microservices. Instead of being alternatives, these two models are actually mutually supportive. And yes, the whole “serverless vs. microservices” debate doesn’t really make sense when you look a bit closer.

In this article, we’ll look at how both serverless and microservices can be used together to build scalable apps without the usual infrastructure headaches, and how platforms like Genezio make it easier to manage both.

What is serverless architecture?

Serverless architecture is a cloud computing model for running applications where you, as a developer, don’t have to worry about managing servers. Instead, cloud providers take care of all the backend infrastructure like scaling and maintenance. This means you can focus entirely on building your applications without stressing over hardware, updates, security patches, what OS is chic now, or checking the price of GPUs. Plus, you only pay for the time your code is running, so you don’t get stuck paying for idle servers. (Depending on the provider you pick, you might end up paying even nothing or just a flat fee—easier to predict.)

While the name “serverless” might make it sound like there are no servers involved, there actually are—they’re just managed for you.

What are microservices?

The microservices architecture is a way of designing software where an application is broken down into small, independently deployable units, each responsible for a specific task. These units, called microservices, communicate with each other through APIs.

Unlike monolithic systems , where the whole application is built and deployed as one big block, microservices break things down into manageable, independent pieces. The benefit of using microservices is that each part can be developed, deployed, updated, and scaled separately. This way, teams can work on specific areas of the application without overlapping, scale only the parts that need it based on demand, and put resources where they’re most useful. And they can roll out updates without making the whole up break into pieces.

Serverless architecture vs microservices: How serverless and microservices work together

Now, here’s where it all comes together. There’s not really a serverless architecture vs microservices debate. Because serverless and microservices aren’t conflicting ideas. They actually support each other quite well. A serverless architecture can be the perfect environment for deploying microservices because it automatically handles scaling based on demand. That means each microservice can run independently and scale up or down when required, without developers having to manage the servers behind it.

Take an e-commerce platform, for example. It might have different microservices for user sign-ups, inventory, and payments. During holiday sales, user sign-ups and payments might see a surge in traffic, while inventory doesn’t. With a serverless architecture, only the busy services will automatically scale up, and the rest will continue being the same throughout. Even better, developers won’t need to manage scaling in any way, as cloud providers will handle it in the background.

Why the “vs.” doesn’t make sense

So, when people say “serverless vs. microservices,” it doesn’t quite capture the full picture. The truth is, these two concepts work better together than pitted against each other. They’re also not mutually exclusive, as the “vs.” in serverless architecture vs microservices implies. Microservices help break down an app into manageable pieces, and serverless architecture handles the infrastructure needs of those pieces. Rather than having to choose one over the other, developers should think about how they can use both to build scalable and flexible applications.

Instead of asking, “Should I go serverless or microservices?”, the real question for developers should be, “How can I use both to make my app faster, easier to manage, and easier to deploy each time i need to roll out an update?”

How Genezio supports both serverless architecture and microservices

Genezio helps full-stack developers quickly build serverless apps and deploy microservices. It simplifies the deployment of both setups with automatic management of infrastructure and scaling. When you integrate your GitHub repository to Genezio, the platform directly detects the framework you’re using and takes care of the rest. You don’t need to worry about setting up servers or scaling resources manually; Genezio handles all of that for you.

With Genezio’s autoscaling feature , your app can handle traffic spikes without any extra effort. Whether you’re running microservices or serverless functions, Genezio automatically adjusts resources based on demand so you can focus on writing and improving your code, not managing infrastructure.

One standout feature of Genezio is its focus on minimizing cold start times, which can be a common issue in serverless environments. With Genezio Functions , cold start times are up to 4x faster compared to platforms like AWS Lambda, even under peak traffic or unpredictable workloads. For microservices, this is especially useful when different parts of your app need to communicate in real-time with minimal delay.

Genezio also makes it simple to deploy, update, and scale microservices independently. You can manage all parts of your app without dealing with complicated setup or worrying about how each service interacts with the others. Genezio keeps everything running securely behind the scenes.

Why type safety is so influential when running web apps

Genezio is a typesafe platform. As such, developers who run code on it will be only able to carry on with programs with no typed mistakes. Considering the whole premise of Genezio and its support for serverless and microservices is making things as easy as possible for developers, type safety is a good add-on to look at when weighing in about which platform to choose.

How Genezio can help with serverless and microservices

Genezio is the ideal choice for building apps with serverless and microservices. It handles the infrastructure side proactively, so you can spend time on what matters: developing your app. Regardless of whether you’re working with microservices or serverless functions, Genezio expedites the process and lets you sidestep the complications of server management.

With its GitHub integration, you can connect your repository in minutes—and deploy just as quickly. Genezio detects your framework and manages the deployment, scaling, and backend operations for you. This makes it a great tool for both experienced developers and those just starting out who need a way to easily deploy a webapp .

Plus, Genezio’s free starter plan is very generous, so you don’t have to worry about costs when you’re getting started. Signing up only takes a few minutes, and you can begin deploying your serverless or microservices app right away.

Sign up now for free and get started with your first project today! If you’re ready to simplify your app deployment with serverless and microservices, head over to Genezio.com .