μσADL: An architecture description language for MicroServices

Abstract

In recent years, the MicroServices architectural style has significantly grown in popularity due to its application to large-scale software systems with positive results. In the domain of Software Architecture, textual Architecture Description Languages (ADLs) can be used to describe the architecture of a software intensive system at an abstract level. μσADL is such an ADL, co-created by the author, designed in order to provide to software architects and various stakeholders a practical way for describing software systems that follow the microservices architectural style. In this paper, an example is presented, where a system based upon this style is described using μσADL. The constructs provided by the language concerning the description and dynamic reconfiguration of a microservice architecture are presented.