What constitutes a cloud-native application?

A cloud-native application is characterized primarily by its use of microservices architecture, which allows for independent development, deployment, and scaling of individual components. This approach promotes agility, enabling teams to iterate rapidly and deploy updates without affecting the entire system. By leveraging microservices, cloud-native applications can take advantage of cloud environments that offer elasticity and resilience, allowing applications to scale out based on demand automatically.

In contrast, the other options describe architectures or methodologies that are not typically aligned with the principles of cloud-native development. Monolithic architecture is characterized by tightly integrated components, which can hinder flexibility and scalability. Static applications that require manual updates do not utilize the dynamic and iterative capabilities inherent to cloud-native design. A single software application integrated across platforms may suggest some level of flexibility, but it does not capture the essence of cloud-native practices, which are centered around microservices and containerization.

Thus, the choice that best reflects the nature of cloud-native applications is the one focusing on independent microservices working together, as it highlights the modularity, scalability, and responsiveness that define cloud-native solutions.