Domain-driven design

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Domain-driven design (DDD) is a major software design approach,[1] focusing on modeling software to match a domain according to input from that domain's experts.[2] DDD is against the idea of having a single unified model; instead it divides a large system into bounded contexts, each of which have their own model. [3][4]

Under domain-driven design, the structure and language of software code (class names, class methods, class variables) should match the business domain. For example: if software processes loan applications, it might have classes like "loan application", "customers", and methods such as "accept offer" and "withdraw".

Domain-driven design is predicated on the following goals:

  • placing the project's primary focus on the core domain and domain logic layer;
  • basing complex designs on a model of the domain;
  • initiating a creative collaboration between technical and domain experts to iteratively refine a conceptual model that addresses particular domain problems.

Critics of domain-driven design argue that developers must typically implement a great deal of isolation and encapsulation to maintain the model as a pure and helpful construct. While domain-driven design provides benefits such as maintainability, Microsoft recommends it only for complex domains where the model provides clear benefits in formulating a common understanding of the domain.[5]

The term was coined by Eric Evans in his book of the same name published in 2003.[6]

  1. ^ Millet, Scott; Tune, Nick (2015). Patterns, Principles, and Practices of Domain-Driven Design. Indianapolis: Wrox. ISBN 978-1-118-71470-6.
  2. ^ Vernon, Vaughn (2013). Implementing Domain-Driven Design. Upper Sadle River, NJ: Addison-Wesley. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-321-83457-7.
  3. ^ Domain-Driven Design: Tackling Complexity in the Heart of Software. Addison-Wesley Professional. 2003. ISBN 978-0321125217.
  4. ^ martinekuan. "Using tactical DDD to design microservices - Azure Architecture Center". learn.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  5. ^ Microsoft Application Architecture Guide, 2nd Edition. Retrieved from http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee658117.aspx#DomainModelStyle.
  6. ^ Evans, Eric (August 22, 2003). Domain-Driven Design: Tackling Complexity in the Heart of Software. Boston: Addison-Wesley. ISBN 978-032-112521-7. Retrieved 2012-08-12.