Which architecture design builds applications as a suite of small, decoupled services?

The correct choice is microservices because this architecture design focuses on building applications as a collection of small, loosely coupled services. Each service in a microservices architecture is designed to perform a specific function or business capability and can be developed, deployed, scaled, and maintained independently. This decoupling facilitates agility and enables organizations to quickly adapt to changes and uncertainties in customer requirements or technology.

In a microservices architecture, each service communicates with others through well-defined APIs, often using lightweight protocols such as HTTP/REST or messaging queues. This modular approach allows teams to use different technologies and programming languages for various services, enhancing flexibility and speeding up development cycles.

The other architecture types mentioned highlight different methodologies: Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) emphasizes reusability and integration of services but does not inherently promote the same level of decoupling and independence as microservices. Monolithic architecture, in contrast, combines all functionalities into a single, tightly integrated application, making it less adaptable to changes over time. Event-Driven Architecture focuses on decoupling components with an event-driven approach but does not encapsulate services in the same way that microservices do. Therefore, while all these architectures have their place, microservices best describe the design of applications as a suite