Explore Chris O'Dell's upcoming presentation and get an early glimpse at the extra details our speaker has provided!

If you follow the link to our website, you will see the following description of Ms O’Dell’s upcoming “What Is A Microservice” Keynote:

Over a decade has passed since the term "microservice" first emerged, and yet, many are still left wondering, "What exactly is a microservice?" Join us in this lighthearted talk as we embark on a journey to uncover the essence of microservices. In this talk we will cover:

• The origin of Microservices: We'll start by unraveling the backstory of the term "microservice," which surprisingly traces back to a small event in Italy attended by James Lewis.
• Parallel Evolution: Microservices didn't emerge in isolation. We'll explore the concurrent development of alternative approaches by Adrian Cockcroft and Fred George.
• Building on Tradition: Microservices are not a revolution but rather an evolution from existing patterns of modular programming and Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA).
• What the Experts Say: We see what Wikipedia has to say about microservices. Explore the consensus among experts, and the formal definition that has emerged over the years.
• Twitter's Take: Finally, we'll see what the tech community has to say by sharing insights and opinions from Twitter.

So, because we're the kind of tech geeks who love diving deep into things (maybe a bit too much!), we've decided to dig even further into the topic. We have e-cornered and thrown some additional questions at our speaker to grab some extra nuggets of wisdom!

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➡️ What inspired you to choose this particular topic for your talk?

Chris: I've been developing backend web applications for over 15 years, and in that time I've seen a few architecture patterns rise and be replaced. Looking back I realised that microservices are an evolution of those patterns, but I wanted to know more about its origins. When I started digging, I discovered that the origins are a case of simultaneous invention and one very exclusive (and elusive) workshop event. It's a story worth sharing.

Who would find your talk useful?

Chris: My talk is a light-hearted dive into the history of Microservices, and the evolutionary steps that lead to them. Software Developers, and people who work with them, will benefit from learning about this evolution so that we define our future from the lessons of the past.

➡️ If you could give us 1-3 main takeaways for your upcoming talk, what would they be?

Chris:

• Advancements don't emerge in isolation. We should learn from each other, whilst also being keen to try new things.
• Microservices are not a revolution but rather an evolution from existing patterns of modular programming and Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA).
• Look to the successful patterns in the past to influence the patterns of the future.

➡️ Are there any specific tools, technologies, or frameworks that you will be discussing in your talk?Are there any specific tools, technologies, or frameworks that you will be discussing in your talk?

Chris: I'll be focussing on Microservices. No particular framework, tech, or tool, but I would expect the audience to be familiar with the concept.

➡️ What kind of audience engagement do you prefer?

Chris: I'm hoping to make the audience smile, maybe laugh, and enjoy coming on the journey with me. I would encourage people to ask questions at the end of the talk.

➡️ Are there any “teasers” you could give us?

Chris: I asked people on Twitter "What is a Microservice? (wrong answers only)", and I got some very interesting responses!

➡️ Anything else you would like to share with our community prior to the conference, and your talk?

Chris: Only that I'm very happy to be speaking at NorDevCon again, and that I hope everyone enjoys the conference!

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We, of course, encourage you to meet Chris up close and personal at the upcoming NorDevCon 2024, but if fate has it otherwise, you can also check out her work and get in touch with her online.

If you haven't already, you can, of course, get the tickets to see Chris O'Dell and other speakers here.

Thanks, Mez, Alex, Ida, & The nor(DEV):con Team