Event-driven architecture promises loose coupling and scalability, but it comes with its own set of challenges. Here's what I've learned from implementing it in production.
Events as First-Class Citizens
When events become the primary way components communicate, you need to treat them with the same rigor as your API contracts. Versioning, schemas, and documentation matter.
The Debugging Challenge
Tracing a request through an event-driven system is harder than following a synchronous call stack. Invest in observability from the start.
Eventual Consistency Trade-offs
Event-driven systems often mean eventual consistency. Make sure your business domain can tolerate this, and design your UX accordingly.
