The main advantage of using microservices architecture in application development is its focus on creating independently deployable services. This design allows teams to work on different components concurrently, utilizing various programming languages and technologies suited to specific tasks. Improved scalability is another significant benefit, as services can be scaled individually based on demand. Additionally, microservices encourage resilience; if one service fails, it doesn't compromise the whole system. This contrasts with monolithic architectures, where a single failure could affect the entire application, making microservices more suitable for modern software needs.