Microservices Architecture (MSA) Design Patterns

They are proven solutions to recurring problems in microservice systems, such as how to decompose a monolith, keep data consistent across services, route client requests, handle failures and secure service communication.

A saga manages a business transaction that spans several services as a sequence of local transactions. If a step fails, compensating transactions undo earlier steps. Sagas can be orchestrated centrally or choreographed through events.

An API gateway is a single entry point for all clients. A BFF is a gateway variant dedicated to one client type, such as mobile or web, so each client gets an API shaped to its needs.

The strangler fig pattern is the usual approach: route selected functionality to new services while the monolith keeps running, and retire monolith pieces gradually. Domain-driven design and bounded contexts help choose boundaries.

Patterns are described in specific articles and catalogs, so each card links to the relevant pattern page. If a link moves, use the site's search for the pattern name.

Microservices patterns solve problems specific to distributed services, such as decomposition, data consistency, communication and resilience. Architecture patterns such as layered or hexagonal structure shape a single service or whole system. See the Software Architecture Patterns page for those.

Start with decomposition by business capability and bounded contexts, then the API gateway, circuit breaker and saga patterns, and use the strangler fig pattern when migrating from a monolith. The pattern language at microservices.io covers all of these.

Links were checked on 3 November 2026. A Red Hat Developers article and a Medium article return 403 to automated checks and are kept; they may need a manual click. Several linked articles date from 2018 to 2020, as noted on their cards, so confirm that their guidance still applies.

See the Database Transactions page for isolation level documentation, MVCC, distributed transactions, sagas, Jepsen correctness testing and key papers.