Application Development using Microservices and Serverless

Application Development using Microservices and Serverless

This course is part of multiple programs.

Instructor: Alex Parker

What you'll learn

Summarize the fundamentals of Microservices, their advantages, and contrast with monolithic architectures.
Create REST API endpoints and invoke them using cURL and Postman; Use SwaggerUI to document and test APIs.
Create, and deploy microservices using Docker containers and serverless technologies like IBM Code Engine.
Practice hands-on with labs and projects using a no-charge cloud-based environment.

Details to know

Earn a career certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

1 quiz, 9 assignments

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is available as part of

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be asked to select a specific program.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate from IBM

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV

Share it on social media and in your performance review

There are 6 modules in this course

Welcome to this introductory course on microservices and serverless, essential technologies for cloud native and application modernization workloads.

Rather than building large applications, known as monoliths, that perform all the functionality, microservices break down larger applications into smaller pieces that are independently maintainable and scalable, providing a host of benefits. This architecture is now used in the largest software organizations in the world, because it provides cost benefits, team autonomy, and other advantages. Likewise, serverless has emerged as an increasingly popular compute option in the cloud era. Giving developers and operators the ability to run applications without managing underlying infrastructure. In this course, you will create microservices using various methodologies. You will create REST APIs using Python and Flask. Next, you will learn the basics of Serverless applications, and how to run your applications on the IBM Cloud Code Engine. The course contains several hands-on labs which allow you to practice and apply the content you learn in the course. In the final project, you will create a front-end application composed of several microservices and deploy them on the Cloud using serverless.

In this module, you will learn methodologies to follow while creating microservices. Learn the best practices for your application’s development, deployment, and operation stages. Also, understand how microservices allow you to independently design, deploy, and scale them while avoiding a single point of failure in your architecture. And finally, get an insight into different anti-patterns to avoid while designing microservices-based applications.

What's included

5 videos2 readings1 quiz1 assignment1 app item1 plugin

5 videosTotal 25 minutes

Course Introduction3 minutesPreview module
Twelve-Factor App Methodology8 minutes
What are Microservices?3 minutes
Comparison of Monolith vs SOA vs Microservices5 minutes
Microservices Patterns6 minutes

2 readingsTotal 12 minutes

Microservices Anti-Patterns10 minutes
Module 1 Summary2 minutes

1 quizTotal 30 minutes

Graded Quiz: Introduction to Microservices30 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

Practice Quiz: Introduction to Microservices10 minutes

1 app itemTotal 60 minutes

Hands-on Activity: Modernize JPetStore with Microservices60 minutes

1 pluginTotal 2 minutes

Module 1 Glossary - Introduction to Microservices2 minutes

In this module, you will learn about the REST architecture, its key characteristics of flexibility, uniformity, and scalability. Create your very first REST based API using Python and Flask. Use Swagger to document it and test it using cURL, Postman, and a functionality provided by Swagger. Learn the importance of API Gateways, why you need them, their advantages, especially for abstracting your backend and allowing you to plug additional services.

What's included

6 videos1 reading2 assignments4 app items1 plugin

6 videosTotal 23 minutes

What is REST?3 minutesPreview module
Introduction to API Gateway4 minutes
Creating REST APIs 2 minutes
Making API Requests using cURL and Postman4 minutes
Documenting and Testing REST API with Swagger4 minutes
Optional: Basics of GraphQL 3 minutes

1 readingTotal 2 minutes

Module 2 Summary2 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 40 minutes

Graded Quiz: Web API Essentials - REST API and GraphQL30 minutes
Practice Quiz: Web API Essentials - REST API and GraphQL10 minutes

4 app itemsTotal 130 minutes

Hands-on Lab: Creating a HELLO WORLD REST API with Python & Flask10 minutes
Hands-on Lab: CRUD Operations with Python45 minutes
Hands-on Lab: Creating a Swagger Documentation for REST API45 minutes
Optional: Hands-on Lab: Querying with GraphQL30 minutes

1 pluginTotal 1 minute

Module 2 Glossary - Web API Essentials REST API and GraphQL1 minute

In this module, you will learn the basics of Serverless applications, and compare them with Containers and Traditional computing models while looking at the advantages and disadvantages of each. You will also understand the Function-as-a-Service model and its constraints. Further, get an overview of the Serverless Framework, a reference architecture, and other use cases. And finally, you will learn about the serverless platforms most commonly used these days.

What's included

6 videos1 reading2 assignments4 plugins

6 videosTotal 34 minutes

Introduction to Serverless Computing6 minutesPreview module
Serverless Pros and Cons8 minutes
Introduction to the FaaS Model5 minutes
The Serverless Framework3 minutes
Serverless Reference Architecture and Use Cases4 minutes
Popular Serverless Platforms5 minutes

1 readingTotal 2 minutes

Module 3 Summary2 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 40 minutes

Graded Quiz: Serverless Overview30 minutes
Practice Quiz: Serverless Overview10 minutes

4 pluginsTotal 42 minutes

Reading: AWS Lambda10 minutes
Optional: Sign-up for AWS Account10 minutes
Optional: Creating an AWS Lambda20 minutes
Module 3 Glossary - Serverless Overview2 minutes

In this module, you will learn about how the IBM Cloud Code Engine builds and deploys your apps in seconds. You will then be introduced to IBM Cloud Code Engine’s use cases: deploy applications, build and deploy applications, and run jobs. Next, you will use a Dockerfile to build a container-based application. You will learn to use the IBM Cloud Console or IBM Cloud CLI to perform the application deployment tasks and then deploy it on the IBM Cloud Code Engine.

What's included

5 videos1 reading2 assignments3 app items3 plugins

5 videosTotal 31 minutes

IBM Cloud Code Engine7 minutesPreview module
Project, Application, Build, and Jobs5 minutes
Building Container Images for Microservices6 minutes
Deploying and Running Applications 4 minutes
Updating Deployed Applications7 minutes

1 readingTotal 2 minutes

Module 4 Summary2 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 40 minutes

Graded Quiz: Create and Deploy Microservices30 minutes
Practice Quiz: Create and Deploy Microservices10 minutes

3 app itemsTotal 65 minutes

Hands-on Lab: Deploying your first application on Code Engine15 minutes
Hands-on Lab: Deploying your first Docker image on Code Engine20 minutes
Hands-on Lab: Deploy, Update, and Scale Microservices using Serverless30 minutes

3 pluginsTotal 12 minutes

Environment Configurations for Code Engine5 minutes
Integrations of IBM Code Engine with Other Services5 minutes
Module 4 Glossary - Create and Deploy Microservices2 minutes

What's included

2 readings1 peer review1 app item2 plugins

2 readingsTotal 3 minutes

Congrats & Next Steps2 minutes
Thanks from the course team1 minute

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

Peer Review: Submit Your Work and Review Your Peers60 minutes

1 app itemTotal 90 minutes

Final Project: Microservices based Serverless Application90 minutes

2 pluginsTotal 30 minutes

Final Project: Overview15 minutes
Final Project: Scenario and Review Criteria15 minutes

Discover how Red Hat® OpenShift®, a container platform for Kubernetes, helps you automate the provisioning, management, and scaling of your Cloud applications. Explore what a service mesh is and how service meshes benefit organizations who are using microservices. Wrap up this module with an understanding of microservices on OpenShift.