> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://dianadarie.gitbook.io/system-design-notes/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://dianadarie.gitbook.io/system-design-notes/monolith-decomposition-patterns/motivation.md).

# Motivation

Microservices have been getting more and more popular in recent years, and several companies are migrating monolithic applications to microservices. But just a reminder that switching to microservices might not always be the good option. Martin Fowler wrote a nice article regarding the [monolith-first approach](http://bit.ly/2jclLet). Here are a couple of useful statements:

* *Almost all the successful microservice stories have started with a monolith that grew too big and was broken up.*
* *Almost all the cases I’ve heard of a system that was built as a microservice system from scratch, it has ended up in serious trouble.*