Thousands of applications are used and downloaded daily. The average smartphone is full of apps helping to make our life easier. We buy goods, get services, make reservations for travel, and receive various services without speaking to a person. But how much do we know about the design and structure of applications? How do our commands affect their performance and create events? In this post, the expert software developers will share their knowledge about EDA.
Implementing event-driven architecture(EDA) is essential for customer-oriented applications. However, some time ago, companies used apps with request-driven designs. The fundamental difference between the two is dealing with requests and the level of control. The event-driven design implementation proved efficiency and independence from other services.
It is still many questions regardless utilization of EDA for applications, and event-driven architecture needs to be looked at from the point of its comparability with the application needs.
Event-driven architecture meaning
EDA is, by definition, an architecture, a structure where application design suggests an event-based scenario. Events come first and are given priority before rules. The entire system responds to events separately, independently of other services or given rules. This design suggests easy creation, testing updates, and easy disposal of components without breaking the functionality or affecting other elements.
Retailers example
Online retailers are an excellent example of how event-driven architecture works. The system deals with various events and responds to changes from within. It does not get overloaded or broken when multiple events occur.
eBay is a store with multiple activities happening on the outside. Both sellers and buyers create events, to which the system automatically responds. User purchase or seller registration receives a response from the application, which then demands the action of the software.
Points of implementation
The main advantage is the fast processing of large volumes of data streams in real-time. Event-driven architecture is quick because it is self-reliant and independent of other services. Traditional request-driven architectures cannot process and handle data as fast as EDAs. Delays and mistakes may occur due to the dependence of services on one another.
However, there are systems where dependence on other services makes no distinction. The processes happen independently and do not wait for one another. Check related materials in this blog.
Benefits of EDA
- Scalability.
The reason behind EDA’s popularity is its scalability. Event-driven architectures work with microservices and allow easy adding and disposal of elements. Only non-responding events require fixing and can be mended separately without holding back other processes. in the entire system. EDA-based applications allow for the addition of extra services and features accordingly to the business demands.
- Independence
EDAs allow independent microservices where events don’t stand in each other way. They can queue up without causing system blockage or overload. It helps ease the pressure on a system.
- Easy fixing and recovery
Within the busy system with millions of transactions and big arrays of data, problems may appear. EDAs allow us to go back to a point in time and trace that particular event causing distraction. Automated rollback and recovery contribute to the safety and sustainability of EDA-based systems.
- Creating value for clients
Event-driven architectures help to stay competitive and increase the value of an application. Many businesses now work with big data. Processing data and making this data move fast within the system requires independence and scalability.
- Incredible speed in real-time
Many businesses offer real-time services, and being able to respond and provide real-time data streaming is another value of the EDA environment. Financial markets and stock exchanges work with real-time data and require making immediate decisions. Implementation of EDA is crucial for banking or financial services.
- Lower costs of maintenance and upgrade
EDAs allow consumers the best experiences without stretching the budget. Real-time data availability and smooth transactions allow a user-friendly approach even with previous versions and old hardware.
- Flexibility and less coding
Microservices are flexible and allow to add new functions quickly without changing the entire interface. Unlike old versions of respond-driven systems, they do not require changing the appearance. Usage of EDAs saves the entire system from changes in structure and doesn’t require programming and rewriting of all codes. Small functions and parts of codes can be added accordingly to business needs. This is a powerful point, and many companies can now offer a variety of services and easily add functions to applications.
Marketing and sales-oriented services
The ability of EDA to provide and process data in real-time results in a better customer experience allowing more interactive service. It enhances communication and promotes loyalty. Additionally, using EDA allows for recognizing behaviour patterns and discovery of real-time needs of clients to advance in offering the right products and generating sales.
EDA disadvantages
Alongside so many advantages there are some concerns and downsides to using EDA systems.
The system appears ‘loose’
It is an independent and flexible structure on one side and a considerable amount of loose and uncontrolled events on another side. Processes run separately are hard to control, therefore the system may occur loose and unable to track thousands of events happening at a time. For every organization, it is essential to acknowledge that each event is responded to correctly. It is crucial to appraise and test the system for the safety of data input and use. It can be a complex task for applications to deal with big data and many processes appearing simultaneously.
No control over data input
Since the EDA allows users to make some changes, there is a chance of receiving false or inappropriate information. Response-driven systems used earlier had control over data accuracy and storage. With nowadays event-driven architecture, there is no way of verifying the correctness of data, and applications have to be dealing with the consequences.
Duplicate events
Since there is no synchronization, there is no specific order of events, and unforeseen or duplicate processes may occur and require a reasonable response.
Errors
Errors may occur at any stage, since there is no tracking of events, mistakes appear in real-time
are hard to discover within the number of events happening. Although it is possible, it is complex, and error handling happens to be the most significant problem.
EDA is not an answer to all questions
Every system has its upsides and downsides, and EDA is not an exclusion. The flexibility, low maintenance costs, and interactive approach are advantageous, but it requires proficiency in development and complications in dealing with data and errors. Event-driven architecture is an excellent instrument for fast-developing industries and the growing demands of users. However, there are a few things to consider before applying the EDA model.
Last concerns and advice
First of all, it is reasonable to decide on events sourcing which helps to realize changes occurring in different entities and events and to use updates or isolate errors.
Other issues include tracking events and opportunities to deal with changes. It is required to know how and when the event appeared and be able to adapt to changes. Having too many events to handle may result in added difficulty. The recommendation is to keep it uncomplicated to avoid failures.
Fast-changing environments and client-orientated approaches require solutions for software based on the EDA model. After all, event-driven architecture is a client-oriented and service-oriented tool providing interactive experiences and real-time data access. It also is a highly scalable tool supporting microservices’ fast adaption and low maintenance costs.