Overview This document compares two common microservice architecture patterns to help you decide which approach best fits your use case. Architecture Diagrams Option 1 — NGINX Only Client ↓ NGINX ↓ Microservices Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode Option 2 — NGINX + API Gateway Client ↓ NGINX ↓ API Gateway ↓ Microservices Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode Comparison by Category 1. Complexity Aspect NGINX Only NGINX + API Gateway Infrastructure Simpler More complex Number of services Fewer Additional gateway service Configuration Easier More layers Debugging Easier Harder Maintenance Lower Higher Winner: ✅ NGINX Only 2. Performance Aspect NGINX Only NGINX + API Gateway Request hops Fewer More Latency Lower Slightly higher Resource usage Lower Higher Throughput Better Slightly lower Winner: ✅ NGINX Only 3.…