Common Terminologies
Here are some of the terminologies commonly used in System Design.
Upstream and Downstream System
In the context of systems exchanging information via an API, upstream and downstream refer to the direction in which data flows and how systems interact with each other in the overall architecture.
1. Upstream System
The upstream system refers to the system that provides or sends data to another system. It is typically the source of information in the data exchange process.
If System A sends data to System B via an API, System A would be considered the upstream system.
Upstream systems are responsible for processing, creating, or transforming data before sending it downstream.
Example: If System A is a financial application generating transaction records, and it sends this data to System B (an analytics system), then System A is the upstream system.
2. Downstream System
The downstream system is the system that receives data from another system. It typically consumes or processes the information it gets from the upstream system.
In the case of System A and System B exchanging information, if System A sends data to System B, then System B is the downstream system.
Downstream systems often act on the received data, either by storing, further processing, or integrating it into another workflow.
Example: System B might be a reporting service that takes the transaction data from System A and creates reports or generates analytics based on that data. In this case, System B is the downstream system.
Orchestration vs. Choreography
Description:
Orchestration: A central orchestrator service controls and coordinates the flow of events between services, ensuring that each service performs its part of the workflow.
Choreography: In this approach, services independently decide when and how to act based on the events they receive, without a central controller.
How it works:
In orchestration, the orchestrator issues commands to services, directing them on what to do next.
In choreography, services listen for events and decide what actions to take independently.
Example:
Orchestration: A payment processing system where the workflow is controlled by a central service that calls payment, inventory, and shipping services.
Choreography: A system where each service listens for and reacts to events like
order-placed,payment-received, andshipment-dispatched.Example technologies: Camunda (Orchestration), Event Sourcing (Choreography).
Advantages:
Orchestration: Central control for complex workflows.
Choreography: Greater flexibility and less dependence on a central controller.
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