architecture-design

Design scalable architecture by applying core principles—Separation of Concerns, Dependency Inversion, Interface Segregation, Open/Closed, and Single Source of Truth—then select a pattern (Layered, Clean, or Hexagonal) based on your system's requirements. Document decisions and tradeoffs for stakeholder review.

Layered, Clean, and Hexagonal patterns each offer distinct tradeoffs. Layered suits traditional multi-tier systems; Clean Architecture enforces strict dependency rules for testability; Hexagonal isolates business logic from external dependencies. Choose based on team experience, project complexity, and scalability needs.

Create a decision log capturing each architectural choice, its rationale, and tradeoffs. This structured documentation clarifies reasoning for stakeholders, enables code reviews aligned with principles, and helps teams maintain consistency across components.

Five core principles guide robust architecture: Separation of Concerns (distinct responsibilities per component), Dependency Inversion (depend on abstractions), Interface Segregation (focused, minimal interfaces), Open/Closed (extensible without modification), and Single Source of Truth (no duplicated state across systems).

Yes. Layered, Clean, and Hexagonal patterns scale across contexts—from small feature teams to large distributed systems. Select the pattern that balances your team's expertise, project complexity, and long-term maintainability requirements.

Understand your system's requirements, team constraints, and scalability goals. Apply core architectural principles to evaluate fit. Compare pattern tradeoffs—complexity, testability, flexibility—against your project's priorities before committing to a design.