Common Software Architectures

Architecture	Best for	Key Benefit
MVVM	WPF, MAUI, Xamarin	Data binding, testability
MVC	Web apps (ASP.NET, Django)	Scalability, separation
MVP	WinForms, legacy apps	Easier unit testing
Layered	Enterprise apps	Clear separation of concerns
Microservices	Cloud-based, scalable apps	Independent services
Event-Driven	Real-time, IoT	High responsiveness
Hexagonal	Large applications	Flexibility, maintainability
Clean	Scalable systems	Strong separation, longevity
CQRS	High-performance apps	Optimized read/write ops
ECS	Game development	Better performance

MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel)

MVVM separates the UI (View) from the business logic (ViewModel) while keeping data and state management in the Model.

• Used in: WPF, MAUI, Xamarin
• Best for: Desktop & mobile apps

Components:

• Model: Manages data and business logic (e.g., database calls).
• View: The UI (XAML in WPF/MAUI).
• ViewModel: Acts as a bridge between the View and Model using data binding.

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MVC (Model-View-Controller)

The Controller processes user requests (e.g., /GetUser), retrieves data from the Model, and passes it to the View.

• Used in: ASP.NET Core, Spring, Django
• Best for: Web apps & APIs

Components:

• Model: Handles data and business logic.
• View: UI layer (HTML, Razor, or templates).
• Controller: Handles user input and updates Model/View.

MVP (Model-View-Presenter)

Similar to MVVM, but the Presenter directly updates the View (no data binding like MVVM).

• Used in: WinForms, legacy desktop apps
• Best for: Older desktop applications

Components:

• Model: Manages data.
• View: Displays UI, but contains no logic.
• Presenter: Acts as a mediator between Model and View.

Layered Architecture (N-Tier)

A structured architecture where components are divided into separate layers.

• Used in: Large applications, enterprise software
• Best for: Scalable web and desktop applications

Common Layers:

1. Presentation Layer: UI (Web, desktop, API)
2. Business Logic Layer (BLL): Processes data
3. Data Access Layer (DAL): Handles database interactions

Microservices Architecture

Instead of a single app, multiple independent services communicate via APIs (REST, gRPC).

• Used in: Netflix, Amazon, Cloud applications
• Best for: Large, scalable web services

Why Use Microservices?

✅ Scalable
✅ Independent deployment
✅ Fault-tolerant

Event-Driven Architecture

A system where components react to events instead of directly calling each other.

• Used in: IoT, real-time apps, trading systems
• Best for: High-performance, decoupled applications

Why Use It?

✅ Components are loosely coupled
✅ High responsiveness
✅ Better scalability

Hexagonal (Ports and Adapters) Architecture

Focuses on isolating core business logic and keeping dependencies (UI, Database, APIs) separate.

• Used in: Scalable applications, long-term projects
• Best for: Maintainable and testable code

Why Use It?

✅ Increased testability
✅ More flexibility for changing technologies

Clean Architecture

A layered design that keeps the core business logic at the center, making dependencies flow inward.

• Used in: Large applications
• Best for: Long-term maintainability

Why Use It?

✅ Separation of concerns
✅ Better dependency management

CQRS (Command-Query Responsibility Segregation)

Separates read operations from write operations to optimize performance.

• Used in: High-performance web apps, financial systems
• Best for: Systems with heavy database operations

Why Use It?

✅ Faster queries
✅ Scales well with microservices

ECS (Entity-Component-System)

A game development pattern that replaces traditional OOP hierarchies with a data-driven approach.

• Used in: Unity, Unreal Engine
• Best for: Performance-intensive games

Why Use It?

✅ More efficient than OOP
✅ Better memory management