# What is MicroProfile? > What is the MicroProfile specification, what is it used for, and why might you need it? Find out here and get started!  - URL: https://foojay.io/today/what-is-microprofile/ - Published: 2022-09-22 - Authors: Jadon Ortlepp, Luis Neto - Categories: Cloud, Microservices - Originally published at: https://blog.payara.fish/what-is-microprofile The Java programming language can be enhanced with specifications. An specification is a baseline platform definition - a framework - to guide concrete implementations. One of these specifications is called MicroProfile. But what is MicroProfile specification, what is it used for and why might you need it? This article explains all! ## What Is MicroProfile? The [MicroProfile](https://microprofile.io/) specification is a set of Enterprise Java APIs and technologies, designed to help with the challenge of building microservices architectures in Java. They are intended to be used on top of [Jakarta EE](https://jakarta.ee/) APIs to add specific functionalities that are needed when developing microservices. {{< img src="https://blog.payara.fish/hs-fs/hubfs/microprofile%20square.png?width=403&name=microprofile%20square.png" class="alignright is-resized" alt="microprofile square" width="473" height="472" >}} ### Wait, What Is Jakarta EE? Jakarta EE is a set of software components that extend [Java SE](https://www.java.com/en/) - the standard edition Java programming language - with ways to perform the functions particularly useful for an enterprise application. You can read our previous blog ['What is Jakarta EE?'](https://blog.payara.fish/jakarta-ee-java-ee-guide) for more information. ### Wait, What Are Microservices? Microservices refer to a software architecture style where your application is structured in small code, granular modules or services. Services can then be deployed and maintained independently from each other. Read our ['Explaining Microservices: No Nonsense Guide for Decision Makers'](https://www.payara.fish/resource/explaining-microservices-no-nonsense-guide-for-decision-makers/) for more information about microservices. ## How Does MicroProfile Help You With Microservices Applications? MicroProfile has ready-made APIs to deal with common challenges in microservices architecture. It means you can use MicroProfile APIs, rather than write custom code to fix some problems. For example: * **Problem:** Difficult to debug and trace issues in a microservices architecture, when there are multiple different modules or services. **MicroProfile Solution:** [Open Tracing](https://download.eclipse.org/microprofile/microprofile-opentracing-2.0/microprofile-opentracing-spec-2.0.html)- APIs where you can build traces for remote calls (a client app creates a request for a resource from a remote service) and use them for debugging purporses. * **Problem:** Microservices architecture necessitate lots of remote calls to other remote services - these might not be available and cause problems for the end user. **MicroProfile Solution:** [Fault Tolerance](https://microprofile.io/project/eclipse/microprofile-fault-tolerance)- this allows you to add annotations to a remote call, so if it isn't successful, you can provide fall back to a different service, or APIs for retrying the call. * **Problem:** More independently built services = more data and metrics in different systems. How do you keep track of them to monitor performance and usage? **MicroProfile Solution:** [Metrics](https://download.eclipse.org/microprofile/microprofile-metrics-4.0/microprofile-metrics-spec-4.0.html)- this API gathers data and metrics from different services and combines them into a centralized system. ## Who Maintains MicroProfile? Both MicroProfile and Jakarta EE are managed by the [Eclipse Foundation,](https://www.eclipse.org/org/foundation/) a not-for-profit software corporation that stewards many open source projects. MicroProfile is open source, so anyone can get involved in the project. The Eclipse Foundation manages the [MicroProfile Working Group,](https://microprofile.io/workinggroup/#:~:text=MicroProfile%20is%20an%20open%20forum,with%20a%20goal%20of%20standardization.) an open forum where different vendors work together to build the brand, establish the technical roadmap, define the rules around compatibility and what makes a MicroProfile compatible implementation. ## What Is A MicroProfile Implementation? Like Jakarta EE, each MicroProfile API has a Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK), a test suite your software has to pass to prove it is compatible with the API. Compatible implementations will follow the specifications and pass the TCKs. ## What Is A MicroProfile Runtime? MicroProfile, like Jakarta EE, is designed to work with a runtime. A runtime is a program where your application runs. It handles HTTP requests sent by its clients over the internet. A MicroProfile runtime will need to pass the TCKs to be a compatible implementation - and allow you to use your applications with MicroProfile! Many different vendors have created MicroProfile compatible runtimes, including Payara. [Payara Micro](https://www.payara.fish/products/payara-micro/) is our lightweight solution: MicroProfile and Jakarta EE compatible and designed for containerized Jakarta EE and MicroProfile deployments. ## Further Reading : * [Demystifying Microservices for Jakarta EE \& Java EE Developers](https://info.payara.fish/demystifying-microservices-for-java-ee-developers) * [MicroProfile Fault Tolerance to Build Cloud Native Applications](https://www.payara.fish/page/how-to-use-eclipse-microprofile-fault-tolerance-api-to-build-cloud-native-applications-on-payara-platform/) * [Configurable Applications with MicroProfile Config API](https://www.payara.fish/page/build-highly-configurable-applications-on-payara-server-using-the-eclipse-microprofile-config-api/) * [Mastering Microservices with MicroProfile and Payara in the Cloud](https://info.payara.fish/microservices-with-microprofile-and-payara) * [Explaining Microservices: No Nonsense Guide for Decision Makers](https://www.payara.fish/resource/explaining-microservices-no-nonsense-guide-for-decision-makers/) * [Payara Micro Getting Started Guide](https://www.payara.fish/resource/payara-micro-getting-started-guide/)