Microservices Architecture
A microservices architecture is essential for flight booking systems. Break down your application into independent services: booking service, payment service, inventory service, notification service, and user management service. Each service should have its own database and communicate via REST APIs or message queues.
- Service independence allows for independent scaling
- Fault isolation prevents cascading failures
- Technology diversity - use the best tool for each service
- Easier deployment and maintenance
Database Design
Choose the right database for each service. Use relational databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL) for transactional data like bookings and payments. Consider NoSQL databases (MongoDB, Cassandra) for inventory and search functionality where read performance is critical.
- Normalize booking and payment data for consistency
- Use read replicas for search and reporting queries
- Implement database sharding for horizontal scaling
- Cache frequently accessed data in Redis
Caching Strategy
Implement multi-layer caching to reduce database load. Cache flight availability, pricing, and search results. Use Redis for in-memory caching and CDN for static assets. Set appropriate TTL values based on data volatility.
- Cache flight schedules and availability (5-10 minutes)
- Cache search results (1-2 minutes)
- Invalidate cache on booking confirmations
- Use cache warming for popular routes
Message Queue for Async Processing
Use message queues (RabbitMQ, Apache Kafka, AWS SQS) for asynchronous processing. Handle booking confirmations, email notifications, and inventory updates asynchronously to improve response times.
- Decouple booking confirmation from payment processing
- Queue email and SMS notifications
- Process inventory updates asynchronously
- Implement retry mechanisms for failed operations
Conclusion
Building a scalable flight booking system requires careful consideration of architecture, database design, caching, and async processing. By following these best practices, you can create a system that handles high traffic, maintains data consistency, and provides excellent user experience. Remember to monitor performance metrics and continuously optimize based on real-world usage patterns.