Akka HTTP is a powerful and efficient open-source toolkit written in Scala for building high-performance web servers and clients. It is based on the Akka actor model and provides a flexible and fully asynchronous HTTP server and client library. Akka HTTP is designed to handle streaming, chunked responses, and backpressure, making it ideal for building scalable and reactive web applications. This technology allows developers to create robust and resilient applications that can easily handle large volumes of traffic.
In the realm of Microframeworks (Backend), Akka HTTP falls under the category of lightweight and versatile web frameworks tailored for microservices architecture. These frameworks emphasize simplicity and efficiency, making them suitable for building small, independent services that work together to form a larger application. Akka HTTP's asynchronous and actor-based nature makes it particularly well-suited for microservices environments where responsiveness and scalability are crucial.
Founded in 2013 by Lightbend (formerly Typesafe), Akka HTTP was created to address the need for a high-performance, non-blocking HTTP toolkit that could seamlessly integrate with the Akka toolkit. Lightbend's motivation behind developing Akka HTTP was to provide developers with a modern and efficient solution for building reactive and distributed systems that can easily handle concurrent requests and scale horizontally.
Currently, Akka HTTP enjoys a solid market share within the Microframeworks (Backend) category, thanks to its performance, scalability, and robust feature set. With the increasing demand for reactive and asynchronous web application development, Akka HTTP is expected to see continued growth in the future. Its ability to seamlessly handle streaming data and high traffic loads positions it as a key player in the microservices landscape, making it likely to further expand its market presence.
