An event is described as an alteration in the hardware or the software. And Event-Driven Architecture has two parts to the working equation i.e. an event producer and en event consumer. Let us understand how this application architecture works:
It all begins with the event producer, that identifies the emergence of an event, and labels the same as a message.
- The subsequent step involves this event to be broadcasted to an event consumer.
- The message travels through the respective channels and is interpreted by a centralized event processing platform.
- This platform is programmed to decide upon the follow-up action to be taken on the event.
- Once it matches the event to the corresponding response within its directory, it forwards the same to the respective consumer.
This last step determines the final outcome of the event that has been generated. The brightest example of this pattern can be found on a web page.
The moment you click a button, the browser interprets the event and surfaces the programmed action, such as video playback, matching the input with the right output. In contrast to the layered architecture, where the code must flow top-down and filter through all the layers, Event-Driven architectures deploy modules that are activated only when an even connected to them is generated.
Benefits
- Among the different types of architecture in software engineering, the Event-Driven Architecture is suited to applications that have a tendency to scale. It adds to the response time of the architecture eventually leading to better business outcomes.
- This system is very adaptable to real-time changes and is suited to asynchronous systems that run on asymmetric data flow.
- They play a huge role in defining how IoT works. They are widely applicable across networks and applications where devices that are part of the Internet of Things (IoT) must exchange information between even producers and consumers in real-time.
Potential Drawbacks
- Developers might face bottlenecks while managing error handling, particularly in cases where multiple modules are responsible for a single event.
- You must use a recommended software architect tool, to backup the central processing platform. This, to deter the failure of a module to result in system collapse.
- The operational speed of the entire system could be slowed down if the processing platform is programmed to buffer messages as and when they come.
Ideal For
Event Driven Architecture can be deployed for applications that leverage instant data communication that scales on-demand as in the case of website tracking or stream processing.
