vertical-slice

Vertical slice architecture (VSA) organizes a .NET codebase by feature workflows instead of technical layers. Each feature folder colocates its endpoint, handler, request, and response objects to ensure clean ownership and low coupling between features.

To structure a .NET API with feature folders, group each feature's endpoint, handler, request, and response into a single directory. Use `IEndpointGroup` to wire endpoints consistently and place shared cross-feature logic in a dedicated `Common/` folder.

Vertical slice architecture supports multiple handler patterns including Wolverine convention-based handlers, source-generated mediator handlers, or raw handler classes. This allows you to implement the handler-as-unit-of-work design without forcing extra dependencies.

Migrate to vertical slice architecture when your layered .NET codebase becomes a tangled web of controllers and repositories. Reorganizing around isolated feature workflows improves navigation, clarity, and testability by ensuring each handler does one focused job.

Vertical slice architecture integrates directly with .NET minimal APIs by utilizing `IEndpointGroup` to consistently wire feature endpoints, tags, and response metadata. This ensures each slice remains independently scoped while registering routes cleanly.

In vertical slice architecture, shared logic and cross-feature dependencies should live in a designated `Common/` or `Shared/` folder. This prevents direct cross-feature calls and maintains low coupling, keeping each feature slice isolated and independently testable.