Style Comparison
Use this page to compare architecture styles at a glance. The goal is to highlight when a style fits, where it struggles, and the trade-offs to surface in decisions.
Architecture Style Heatmap
Y-axis: styles. X-axis: metrics. Ratings 1–5.
| Architecture Style (Y) | Structural | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $$$ | Partition Type | Quanta | Simplicity | Modularity | |
| Layered | 1 | Technical | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Modular Monolith | 1 | Domain | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Pipeline | 1 | Technical | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| MicroKernel | 1 | Both | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Service-Based | 2 | Domain | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Event-Driven | 3 | Technical | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Space-based | 4 | Technical | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| SOA | 4 | Technical | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Microservices | 5 | Domain | many | 1 | 5 |
| Architecture Style (Y) | Engineering | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maintainability | Testability | Deployability | Evolvability | |
| Layered | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Modular Monolith | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Pipeline | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| MicroKernel | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Service-Based | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Event-Driven | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Space-based | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| SOA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Microservices | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Architecture Style (Y) | Operational | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Responsiveness | Scalability | Elasticity | Fault Tolerance | |
| Layered | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Modular Monolith | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Pipeline | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| MicroKernel | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Service-Based | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Event-Driven | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| Space-based | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| SOA | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Microservices | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
How to Use This Page
- Start with the business drivers and architecture characteristics you care about most.
- Compare 2-3 candidate styles, not all of them.
- Capture the "why" in chapter notes and architecture decisions.
Next Steps
- Review the chapter for the style you’re considering.
- Record your decision trade-offs in
docs/chapter-21-architecture-decisions.md.