What are microservices in commerce?

Deploy faster with a microservices commerce architecture

Intermingling the work of different moving parts is the easiest way to get bottlenecked. A microservices-based approach frees you from that and lets you deploy as fast as you can develop.

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What are microservices?

The microservices approach brings together loosely coupled, independently deployable small components — or "services" — to compose a single, more complex application. Using microservices, applications deliver faster responses, are more reliable, and can be deployed more frequently.

The benefits of microservices

Microservices drive value by giving teams the flexibility to develop, deploy and scale each part of commerce independently.

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Faster time to market

Independently deployable components are more reliable and deploy more frequently — so you get new features and customer touchpoints to market faster.

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Aligned teams and commerce functions

Forming teams by function rather than technology supports innovation and eliminates bottlenecks. Teams focus on areas like cart, checkout and loyalty, with autonomy to improve the customer experience.

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Project-based productivity

Organize your workflow to be more project-based — boosting productivity and letting you piece together a commerce experience in a faster, more maintainable way

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Modularity and scalability

Microservices give you a flexible way to develop and maintain your enterprise eCommerce platform, so it scales and adapts as you grow.

Microservices are the foundation for flexible commerce

Microservices provide the modular foundation needed to build, scale and evolve each part of commerce independently.

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API-first connectivity

Connect commerce capabilities across systems, channels and AI agents through flexible APIs that enable real-time interactions and actions.

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Real-time data access

Give AI the contextual data it needs to understand customers, products, inventory and business rules to make smarter decisions.

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Flexible experience orchestration

Deliver adaptive experiences across web, mobile, IoT and emerging AI channels while maintaining control over the customer journey.

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Continuous innovation at scale

Evolve your commerce capabilities as new technologies emerge without disrupting existing experiences or core systems.

How to build with microservices

Build the right solution for your business by combining modular commerce capabilities.

B2C Commerce

Deliver seamless B2C journeys across digital and physical channels with connected product, pricing, inventory and customer data.

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B2B Commerce

Assemble complex B2B commerce flows using modular building blocks for account hierarchies, contract pricing, approvals and self-service purchasing.

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AgenticLift

Add a modular layer for agentic commerce on top of your existing stack. Enable AI-powered shopping experiences by connecting autonomous agents to your commerce capabilities.

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WHY COMMERCETOOLS 

Leading enterprises building on commercetools

The brands, retailers and B2B organizations leveraging commercetools.

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Cimpress

The leader of mass customization of bespoke prints launched 2 large projects in 5 weeks, thanks to headless commerce.

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Leebmann24

The automotive eCommerce retailer increased basket size by 22% while simplifying developer experiences.  

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Flügger

The manufacturer and distributor of paints increased conversion rates by 500% after rebuilding eCommerce in only 3 months.

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Resources

Explore microservices insights

Explore resources, best practices and expert perspectives on building flexible commerce experiences.

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Blog

From monolith to microservices: The future of eCommerce architecture

What microservices are and why they've become the backbone of modern, composable commerce — scalability, agility, and faster innovation vs. the monolith.

Blog

From monolith to microservices: The steps to migrate to a composable commerce architecture

A practical, step-by-step path for breaking up the monolith and migrating to a microservices-based architecture.

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Booklet

Microservices for Modern Commerce

commercetools Advisor Kelly Goetsch's deep dive into microservices principles — how to connect dozens or hundreds of services into one seamless experience.

Frequently asked questions

Learn more about how microservices work and what they mean for enterprise commerce.

What are microservices?

Microservices break an application into small, independent components — or "services" — that can be built, deployed and scaled separately. Each handles a specific function, so teams can update one part without touching the rest.

How are microservices different from a monolith?

A monolith bundles all functionality into one codebase, so any change means redeploying the whole thing. Microservices are decoupled, so teams can develop, deploy and scale each service independently — faster and with less risk.

What are the benefits of microservices for commerce?

Faster time to market, independent scaling of high-demand functions like cart and checkout, easier maintenance, and the flexibility to adopt new technology without re-platforming.

Does commercetools use a microservices architecture?

Yes. commercetools is built on a microservices-based, API-first architecture, so each capability is independently deployable and scalable — giving enterprises flexibility without the constraints of a monolith.

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