What is the role and purpose of middleware in application architecture?

Middleware in application architecture acts as a connecting link between different components or systems, ensuring their interaction and integration. It abstracts communication details, data management, and services, allowing developers to focus on business logic.

Main functions of middleware:

• Facilitating message exchange between applications
• Transaction management
• Authentication and authorization
• Logging and monitoring
• Load balancing and scaling

For example, in web applications, middleware can handle requests, perform access rights checks, and pass control further down the processing chain.