Event Channel

A named, typed stream of events (often Kafka topic or equivalent) through which services publish and subscribe asynchronously.

What is Event Channel?

Event channels are the async counterpart of API contracts. Documenting them — schema, ordering guarantees, retention, owner — turns a fragile implicit integration into a first-class interface that producers and consumers can evolve independently.

Related terms

  • API Contract — A formal specification of an API (OpenAPI, gRPC proto, GraphQL schema) that producers and consumers agree to uphold.
  • Microservices — An architectural style that structures an application as a collection of small, independently deployable services organized around business capabilities.