NO SILVER BULLET The Distributed Monolith Trap (And How to Escape It)
Jan 28, 2026
A brisk discussion on when splitting software makes sense and when it does not. They warn against defaulting to microservices and explain benefits of a monolith-first approach. Stories reveal how naive service splits create hidden coupling. Practical methods like event storming and aligning team boundaries with architecture get highlighted.
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Start With A Modular Monolith
- Start with a monolith when launching a new project instead of splitting early.
- Use a modular monolith to move fast and keep the option to split later.
Network Boundaries Enforce Discipline
- Microservices force hard boundaries by using the network as a barrier.
- That enforced isolation can help but comes with higher operational costs and complexity.
Jumping On The Microservices Hype Train
- Maciej describes joining a legacy monolith team that split into microservices during the hype era.
- They gained improvements but later questioned whether the distributed complexity was necessary.
