Architecture
Software architecture, at its essence, is about drawing boundaries—lines that define what is essential and separate it from the rest. It’s not just about organizing code; it’s about creating a system that is modular, reusable, and adaptable. The architecture of Machanism embodies this principle to its core.
Machanism’s architecture is built on the foundation of Clean Architecture, ensuring clear separation of concerns and making systems flexible enough to evolve with business needs. Our approach doesn’t enforce specific technologies or frameworks. Instead, it encourages reusability, maintainability, and independence, allowing the critical business logic to remain central while the details (infrastructure, tools, and technologies) orbit around it.
This isn’t just about structure—it’s about designing systems that are easy to understand, grow, and adapt. A robust architecture is one that fosters collaboration across teams and technologies without introducing unnecessary dependencies.
The Core Goal of the Architecture
"The goal of the architect is to create a shape for the system that recognizes policy as the most essential element of the system while making the details irrelevant to that policy. This allows decisions about those details to be delayed and deferred."
— ©Robert C. Martin
The core goal of software architecture is to create a system that is both robust and adaptable, where business logic is central and independent of external details like infrastructure, tools, or frameworks. Architecture is more than code—it is the blueprint that determines how a system can grow, how it can change, and how resilient it will be over time.
A good architecture doesn’t just solve the problems of today; it prepares for the unknowns of tomorrow. It focuses on drawing boundaries—distinct, intentional lines that separate policies (core business rules) from details (databases, third parties, or frameworks). These lines ensure that the heart of the system—the business logic—remains pure and reusable, insulated from the inevitable churn of technical implementation.
The architecture’s primary goal is to reduce coupling and increase scalability. By enforcing separation of concerns, it allows individual components or modules to operate independently while still being part of a cohesive system. This makes it easy to replace or upgrade tools, frameworks, or delivery mechanisms without jeopardizing the integrity of the entire application.
To put it simply, the core goal of the architecture is to create a system that:
- Prioritizes business needs over technical details.
- Empowers developers with clarity, ensuring they can focus on functionality without being burdened by implementation details.
- Supports evolution over time, enabling the system to grow, adapt, and scale without becoming unmanageable.
Underpinning all of this is a philosophy: boundaries matter. Draw them at the right places, and your architecture becomes a tool for scalability and innovation. Ignore them, and you risk creating an unmanageable system tied to the constraints of its tools. Always remember, architecture isn’t just about organizing code—it’s about designing the future of your system.
Clean Architecture: The Backbone of Machanism
At its core, Machanism is structured around Clean Architecture principles, which emphasize:
1. Separation of Concerns: Business logic (the policies and rules) belongs in the center, while implementation and external dependencies (tools, frameworks, databases) are pushed to the edges.
2. Independence of Technology: No specific language, database, or framework controls the system. Machanism components are designed to be agnostic, allowing future adaptability without disruption.
3. Focus on Use Cases: Systems are designed around use-case-driven workflows, ensuring that every brick (component) solves a real, actionable problem.
Why Clean Architecture for Machanism?
1. Business Logic Stays Central
In Machanism, policies and decision-making processes (business logic) are the most critical parts of the architecture. They are placed in the center, where they remain independent of external tools, making the architecture highly adaptable. This ensures:
- Bricks (components) are reusable across different projects and technologies.
- Core functionality is never tied to a specific framework or toolset.
2. Loosely Coupled Modules
The architecture ensures that modules are independent and loosely coupled.
This has incredible benefits:
- You can update or extend one module without affecting the rest of the system.
- Modular bricks can be developed and tested individually, reducing complexity and promoting collaboration.
3. Adaptable to Any Technology or Style
Machanism doesn’t enforce a specific architectural style, framework, or toolchain. Instead, our architecture is:
- Compatible with any style: Microservices, Event-Driven Systems, Layered Architectures, or even Monoliths—all can work within Machanism’s structure.
- Technology-agnostic: Whether you’re working with Java, TypeScript, or any other language, Machanism bricks integrate seamlessly.
- Flexible across tools: From Git to SVN, RESTful APIs to GraphQL, and relational databases to NoSQL, Machanism supports every technology stack, letting you use the best tools for the job.
4. Evolution-Friendly Design
Machanism was built to evolve. As your application grows or requirements change, our architecture ensures smooth scalability by:
- Deferring decisions about implementation details, so you can choose or replace technologies when the time is right.
- Supporting layered development where infrastructure changes don’t affect business rules and workflows.
How Machanism Fits With Broader Architectural Styles
1. Microservices
- Each microservice created in Machanism can adopt Clean Architecture principles internally.
- This ensures that even small services remain maintainable and reusable, with loosely coupled components that scale independently.
2. Layered Architecture
- Machanism supports Layered Architecture by restructuring dependencies to flow inward, aligning with Clean Architecture.
- This ensures that the system focuses on core policies, not tightly coupled frameworks or tools.
3. Event-Driven Systems
- In Event-Driven systems, Machanism uses Clean Architecture to organize event processors.
- This ensures adaptability, reusability, and testability for components that handle reactive workflows.
"Divide and Use": The Guiding Philosophy
At the heart of Machanism’s architecture is our guiding mantra: "Divide and Use."
This means:
- Systems are broken down into independent, reusable bricks, making them manageable and scalable.
- Bricks are designed to solve specific problems, whether they’re modular entities, workflows, or infrastructure layers.
- Developers can "divide" a complex problem into smaller, reusable parts and "use" these across projects to avoid reinventing the wheel.
Seed Projects: Turning Architecture into Action
To implement these architectural principles, Machanism relies on Seed Projects.
A Seed Project is the starting point for creating reusable bricks in a specific business domain. It helps developers implement:
- Core entities and standards for business logic.
- Related interfaces that allow customization and integration across various deployment environments.
Seed Projects are a testament to Machanism’s dedication to Clean Architecture—they enable consistency while remaining adaptable.
Key Benefits of Machanism’s Architecture
- Scalable Systems: Bricks grow and evolve independently.
- Maintainable Code: Business logic is never entangled with external systems or frameworks.
- Reusable Components: Bricks are modular and can work across projects, reducing duplication of effort.
- Technology Adaptability: Future-proof designs ensure your architecture evolves without significant rewrites or disruptions.
- Compatibility Across Architectures: Whether working with microservices or event-driven systems, Machanism’s architecture integrates seamlessly.
Get Started with Machanism’s Architecture
Machanism’s architecture is more than a structure—it’s a philosophy that empowers developers to create reusable, adaptable, and clean solutions. By combining the best practices of Clean Architecture with Machanism’s modular design principles, you can build systems that are smart, scalable, and future-proof.
Ready to dive deeper? Explore our Seed Projects and learn how to create your first reusable modular components with Machanism.
Divide and Use!