Bounded contexts divide a system by domains. They do not have to be microservices. They can also be implemented as modules in a deployment monolith.

If the bounded contexts are implemented as microservices, this results in modules that are independent at the domain and technical level. Therefore, it is sensible to combine the concepts of microservices and bounded contexts.

The dependencies of the bounded contexts as part of strategic designs, as we’ll learn in the next lesson, limit this independence. However, since the microservices are part of a larger system, dependencies between the modules cannot be completely avoided.

https://medium.com/@vladikk.com/bounded-contexts-are-not-microservices-ead44b8d6e35