Key Aspects of Cloud Native Development

“Cloud native” is a term used in the context of cloud computing and application development to describe a style of building and running applications that fully exploits the advantages of the cloud computing model. Here are the key aspects of cloud-native applications:

1. Designed for the Cloud: Cloud-native apps are specifically built for cloud environments. This means they’re designed to run in the scalable, flexible, and automated computing environments provided by cloud service platforms, like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. They are designed to handle frequent changes in load and to be deployed across multiple servers or even multiple data centers.

2. Elastic Scalability: Unlike traditional applications, which might require significant manual effort to scale, cloud-native apps can automatically scale up or down in response to demand. This is facilitated by the cloud infrastructure, which allows for rapid provisioning and de-provisioning of resources.

3. Resilience and Self-healing: Cloud-native apps are designed to be resilient to failures. They can tolerate and recover from infrastructure failures, network issues, and other common disruptions. Techniques like circuit breakers, load balancing, and automatic restarts help in maintaining high availability.

4. Utilization of Cloud-Specific Services: Cloud-native apps often take advantage of specific services offered by cloud providers, like managed databases, AI and machine learning services, and serverless computing capabilities. This reliance on cloud-specific services is a clear differentiator from traditional applications. These services are often referred to as Managed Services

5. Containers and Orchestration: Cloud-native apps typically use containers, such as Docker, to package and run services. Containers encapsulate the microservice and its dependencies, making it easy to move the service between environments. Orchestration tools like Kubernetes are used to manage these containers – deploying, scaling, and networking them across the cloud.

6. DevOps and Agile Methodologies: While DevOps and Agile can be applied in traditional settings, they are almost a necessity in cloud-native development. This integration results in a culture and practice that enhances collaboration, flexibility, and speed in the development process.

7. Continuous Delivery and Deployment: Cloud-native development typically involves a CI/CD pipeline, enabling frequent and reliable software updates. This approach is more integral and streamlined in cloud-native applications compared to traditional ones, where updates might be more infrequent and involve significant downtime.

8. API-Based Communication: In a cloud-native environment, services communicate through APIs. This ensures loose coupling between services, making it easier to modify and scale individual components without affecting the whole system.

9. Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Cloud-native apps often use IaC, which means the infrastructure is provisioned and managed using code, enabling automation and consistency. While IaC can be used in traditional environments, it is a fundamental part of cloud-native deployment.

10. Service Oriented: Even if not strictly following a microservices architecture, cloud-native apps tend to be more service-oriented and modular compared to traditional monolithic applications. This modularity facilitates easier updates, maintenance, and scalability.

11. Pay-as-you-go Pricing Model: Cloud-native applications benefit from the cloud’s pay-as-you-go pricing model. This allows for cost savings as you pay only for the resources you use, which is generally not the case with traditional applications where resources are statically allocated.

Cloud-native apps are designed for virtualized cloud environments, using modern architectural patterns and operational strategies to maximize the benefits of the cloud. This approach enhances flexibility, scalability, and speed, thereby allowing businesses to respond more rapidly to market changes and customer needs.