Scaling Microservices Architecture: Best Practices and Common Pitfalls

Microservices architecture allows applications to scale by breaking down monolithic codebases into smaller, self-contained services. However, scaling microservices introduces its own challenges. How can developers ensure smooth communication between services, manage distributed data consistency, and monitor performance at scale? Discuss the role of service mesh, API gateways, and event-driven architecture. What are some common pitfalls in scaling microservices, and how can teams avoid them while ensuring high availability and low latency in production environments?