What are the best practices for versioning microservices?

Versioning is a strategy used to maintain and release different service versions. Software, API, or services always require upgrades or changes based on changing and evolving needs and bugs being detected after their deployment. So we always need to version that software, API, or service to keep track of changes in the new releases. Let’s explore the concept of versioning in microservices.

Microservices and versioning

In a microservices architecture, it is common for different services to evolve at different rates. When an update or improvement is required for a specific microservice, it is inefficient to release a new version for the entire service. In such cases, versioning comes in handy. By implementing a versioning system, we can update only the required microservice while keeping others unaffected.

Versioning strategies

There are many ways to version microservices, but two of the most famous strategies are the following:

• URI versioning: In this method, the version number is added inside the service URI. This way, we can easily identify and access the microservice just by changing the URI. For example, the URI for an API endpoint for version 1 will be /users/v1.0.0/getAllUsers, while it’ll be /users/v2.0.0/getallusers for version 2.

• Header versioning: In this method, the version number is added to the content-version attribute of the header when the request is sent.

Best practices

The following practices should be embraced while versioning the microservices:

• Always adopt a consistent versioning scheme throughout the production cycle.

• Keep the service and new releases backward compatible so that if some client still wants to keep the older version, they are not forced to update.

• Maintain proper documentation for each version to avoid confusion later.

• Avoid using the version number in the service name to prevent the necessity of managing multiple call methods or creating separate services when maintaining multiple service versions.

• Make the service URL and version number configurable.

Real-world scenario

Imagine an e-commerce platform that offers a product catalog service. Over time, the business needs to evolve, and the product catalog service requires updates and improvements. Using a microservices architecture, the platform can implement versioning to manage these changes effectively.

For example, the initial version of the product catalog service (v1.0) provides basic functionality to list products, view product details, and search the catalog. As the business grows, the platform decides to add new features like product recommendations, advanced filtering, and inventory management to the catalog service.

Rather than updating the existing v1.0 service and potentially breaking existing functionality used by other services or client applications, the platform can introduce a new product catalog service (v2.0) version that includes the additional features. By using a versioning strategy, such as URI versioning or header versioning, the platform can:

1. Deploy the new v2.0 service alongside the existing v1.0 service, allowing clients to choose which version they want to use.

2. Gradually migrate clients to the new v2.0 service while maintaining support for the older v1.0 version.

3. Deprecate the v1.0 service over time once the majority of clients have successfully migrated to the newer version.

This versioning approach ensures that the platform can introduce new features and improvements to the product catalog service without disrupting the existing functionality used by its customers. It also provides a smooth transition path for clients, allowing them to upgrade to the new version at their own pace.

By implementing a robust versioning strategy, the e-commerce platform can continue to evolve and enhance its services while maintaining a reliable and consistent user experience.

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