Microservice Decomposition Language: English Collocations
Breaking a monolith into microservices is one of the most complex architectural undertakings a team can face. From decomposing along bounded contexts to extracting modules and migrating functionality incrementally, this work requires precise vocabulary. This exercise covers the collocations used in decomposition planning, Strangler Fig discussions, and service boundary design.
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The architecture team proposed to ___ the monolith into domain-aligned microservices over the next two quarters.
Decompose the monolith is the canonical microservices architecture collocation — monoliths are 'decomposed' into smaller services following domain-driven design principles. 'Split' and 'break up' are also used informally; 'divide' doesn't carry the domain-driven connotation. 'Decompose' is the precise technical term from the microservices literature.
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The team decided to ___ the authentication module as the first bounded context to migrate.
Extract the module is the standard refactoring and microservice decomposition collocation — code is 'extracted' from a larger codebase into its own service. 'Separate' is also used; 'remove' implies deletion; 'take out' is informal. 'Extract' is the precise term from both refactoring vocabulary and the Strangler Fig pattern.
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The senior engineer outlined a strategy to ___ service boundaries along product ownership lines.
Define service boundaries is the precise microservices design collocation — boundaries are 'defined' as explicit contracts between services. 'Draw boundaries' is also natural and metaphorical; 'establish' is formal; 'set' is informal. 'Define' is the most commonly used verb in domain-driven design and microservices architecture documentation.
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The team used the Strangler Fig pattern to ___ legacy functionality incrementally without a big-bang rewrite.
Migrate functionality is the standard microservice decomposition collocation — features are 'migrated' from the monolith to new services in a controlled way. 'Move' and 'shift' are informal; 'transfer' implies moving data. 'Migrate' is the canonical verb for the process of incrementally replacing monolith components with microservices.
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The platform team needed to ___ a shared data store anti-pattern where multiple services accessed the same database.
Address the anti-pattern is the professional architecture collocation — anti-patterns are 'addressed' through refactoring and boundary redesign. 'Eliminate' is the desired outcome; 'fix' is informal; 'resolve' implies the problem is corrected. 'Address' is the appropriate verb when describing the process of tackling a structural design issue in a decomposition roadmap.