Understanding Clean Architecture
Clean Architecture, popularized by Robert C. Martin, is a software design philosophy that separates the elements of a design into ring levels. The main rule of clean architecture is that code dependencies can only move from the outer levels inward. This means that:
- Business rules don't depend on UI or database.
- Business rules don't know anything about the outside world.
- The UI can change without changing the rest of the system.
- The database can be swapped out without affecting the business rules.
Benefits of Clean Architecture
Independence of framework: The architecture doesn't depend on the existence of some library of feature-laden software.
Testability: The business rules can be tested without the UI, database, web server, or any other external element.
Independence of UI: The UI can change easily, without changing the rest of the system.
Independence of Database: You can swap out PostgreSQL for MongoDB, or something else entirely, without affecting the business rules.
Independence of any external agency: Your business rules don't know anything about the outside world.