Towards a Progressive Scalability for Modular Monolith Applications

Maurício Carvalho, Juliana Bezerra, Karla Donato Fook

2025

Abstract

Cloud-native software startups face intense pressure from limited resources, high uncertainty, and the need for rapid validation. In this context, early architectural decisions have lasting effects on scalability, maintainability, and adaptability. Although microservices are often favored for their modularity, they introduce significant operational overhead and require organizational maturity that many startups lack. Traditional monoliths offer simplicity but tend to evolve into rigid, tightly coupled systems. When designed with disciplined modularity, modular monoliths can offer internal boundaries that support sustainable growth while avoiding the fragmentation and complexity of premature microservices adoption. The existing literature emphasizes microservices, leaving gaps in guidance for modular monoliths on topics like modularization, scalability, onboarding, and deployment. This paper proposes guidelines for designing scalable modular monoliths, maintaining architectural flexibility, and reducing complexity, thereby supporting long-term evolution under typical startup constraints. The initial category of guidelines is presented, and their intended structure is thoroughly outlined.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Carvalho M., Bezerra J. and Fook K. (2025). Towards a Progressive Scalability for Modular Monolith Applications. In Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Web Information Systems and Technologies - Volume 1: WEBIST; ISBN 978-989-758-772-6, SciTePress, pages 228-235. DOI: 10.5220/0013786800003985

in Bibtex Style

@conference{webist25,
author={Maurício Carvalho and Juliana Bezerra and Karla Fook},
title={Towards a Progressive Scalability for Modular Monolith Applications},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Web Information Systems and Technologies - Volume 1: WEBIST},
year={2025},
pages={228-235},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0013786800003985},
isbn={978-989-758-772-6},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Web Information Systems and Technologies - Volume 1: WEBIST
TI - Towards a Progressive Scalability for Modular Monolith Applications
SN - 978-989-758-772-6
AU - Carvalho M.
AU - Bezerra J.
AU - Fook K.
PY - 2025
SP - 228
EP - 235
DO - 10.5220/0013786800003985
PB - SciTePress