Microservices are a software-development technique related to service-oriented architecture (SOA). They refer to the infrastructure of an application, with a single infrastructure called a “monolith”. Multiple monoliths can be created to be interdependent on one another, with the caveat that upgrading the application can complicate the entire code.

Microservices are important to learn because they seek to make upgrades less time-consuming and expensive by connecting independently running computing modules via APIs. Some popular companies that use Microservices include Amazon and Netflix, which were able to scale as much as they did because they changed their coding from one big application into smaller, service-specific applications.

Microservices learners can look forward to a bright future. In fact, Market Research Future reveals the Microservices market is expected to reach $33 billion by 2023, giving those interested in a career a pool of opportunities to explore.

According to PayScale, the average salary for Microservices roles in the United States is $114,000 per year. These roles include Software Engineer ($102,000 per year), Senior Software Engineer ($120,000 per year), or Senior Software Engineer/Developer/Programmer ($114,000). Besides these titles, there is a wide variety of other roles where knowledge of Microservices is useful including Solutions Architect, UI Developer, Data Engineer, Data Scientist, UX Developer, Ecommerce Developer, Technical Writer, Marketing Copywriter, and more.

Microservices courses offered through Coursera equip learners with knowledge in managing an application’s configuration; using Cloud SQL as a relational database for Java applications; tracing and debugging Spring applications; applying Microservices architecture; creating reusable and flexible software applications; and more.

Lessons on Microservices are taught by instructors from major tech names and universities, including University of Alberta and Google Cloud Training. Learners can enjoy exploring Microservices with instructors specializing in Computer Science, Software Engineering, and other disciplines. Course content on Microservices is delivered via video lectures, hands-on projects, readings, quizzes, and other types of assignments.