Understanding Asynchronous Communication in Distributed Systems

Watch a 38-minute conference talk from GOTO Amsterdam 2024 where microservices expert and author Sam Newman delves into the complex world of asynchronous communication in distributed systems. Explore the various interpretations and misconceptions surrounding asynchronous processing, from non-blocking clients to message-broker based communication and inbox-based message passing. Learn how the term 'asynchronous' carries different meanings in different contexts, leading to confusion in technical discussions and system design. Understand the nuances of synchronous versus asynchronous communication patterns, examine the principles of the Reactive Manifesto, and discover the implications of blocking calls and broker-based request-response mechanisms. Gain insights into how these technical concepts fit into the broader context of sociotechnical systems and cloud-native architectures.