Evolving Architectural Paradigms: Transitioning from Monolithic to Event-Driven Microservices in Cloud Environments

Abstract

The evolution from monolithic architectures to event-driven microservices represents a fundamental transformation in cloud-native system design. This article explores architectural evolution patterns, identifying key enablers and inhibitors influencing successful transitions while evaluating sustainability implications across operational, technical, and environmental dimensions. Through mixed-method evaluation combining theoretical frameworks, comparative analysis, and case implementation, the article identifies four predominant evolution patterns—incremental decomposition, domain-driven extraction, infrastructure-first transformation, and strangler-facade implementation—each offering distinct advantages in different organizational contexts. The sustainability assessment reveals complex trade-offs, with distributed architectures typically showing reduced sustainability during transition before achieving enhanced outcomes in mature states. Based on these observations, the article presents a migration framework balancing agility, resilience, and sustainability throughout the transformation process, addressing critical decision points from domain analysis through continuous evolution. The framework validation demonstrates effectiveness in guiding architectural transitions that maintain system viability while establishing foundations for long-term sustainability. The article contributes both theoretical advancement in sustainability as a multidimensional quality attribute and practical guidance for organizations implementing architectural transformations in cloud environments.