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Application Load Balancing vs Classic Load Balancing

Developers should learn and use Application Load Balancing when building scalable, highly available web applications, especially in cloud-based or microservices architectures, as it handles traffic spikes, prevents server overload, and provides seamless failover during outages meets developers should learn classic load balancing when working with legacy aws environments or applications that rely on its specific features, such as tcp/ssl load balancing or integration with ec2-classic networks. Here's our take.

🧊Nice Pick

Application Load Balancing

Developers should learn and use Application Load Balancing when building scalable, highly available web applications, especially in cloud-based or microservices architectures, as it handles traffic spikes, prevents server overload, and provides seamless failover during outages

Application Load Balancing

Nice Pick

Developers should learn and use Application Load Balancing when building scalable, highly available web applications, especially in cloud-based or microservices architectures, as it handles traffic spikes, prevents server overload, and provides seamless failover during outages

Pros

  • +It is essential for applications requiring features like HTTP/HTTPS routing, session persistence, or integration with auto-scaling groups, such as e-commerce sites, APIs, and content delivery networks, to maintain performance and reliability under varying loads
  • +Related to: aws-elastic-load-balancing, nginx

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Classic Load Balancing

Developers should learn Classic Load Balancing when working with legacy AWS environments or applications that rely on its specific features, such as TCP/SSL load balancing or integration with EC2-Classic networks

Pros

  • +It is useful for scenarios where minimal configuration and cost-effectiveness are priorities, but it lacks the advanced capabilities of newer services like Application Load Balancer (ALB) or Network Load Balancer (NLB)
  • +Related to: aws-application-load-balancer, aws-network-load-balancer

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use Application Load Balancing if: You want it is essential for applications requiring features like http/https routing, session persistence, or integration with auto-scaling groups, such as e-commerce sites, apis, and content delivery networks, to maintain performance and reliability under varying loads and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Classic Load Balancing if: You prioritize it is useful for scenarios where minimal configuration and cost-effectiveness are priorities, but it lacks the advanced capabilities of newer services like application load balancer (alb) or network load balancer (nlb) over what Application Load Balancing offers.

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The Bottom Line
Application Load Balancing wins

Developers should learn and use Application Load Balancing when building scalable, highly available web applications, especially in cloud-based or microservices architectures, as it handles traffic spikes, prevents server overload, and provides seamless failover during outages

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