Model-Template-View Architecture

Introduction

The MTV, or Model-Template-View, architecture is a variation of MVC, or Model-View-Controller, architecture. We will not be covering both of these architectures in detail, as it an extensive discussion on its own. However, we will have a brief introduction to both.

The Model-view-controller (MVC) architecture

The MVC architecture is a software architectural pattern in which the application logic is divided into three components on the basis of functionality. These components are called:

• Models
• Views
• Controllers

The MVC architecture is used not only for desktop applications but also for mobile and web applications.

Components of MVC architecture

1. Models

Models represent how data is stored in the database. It contains all the data definitions for your application (the schema). For example, if you are creating a library management system, then a model for books will be present. It will define all the information concerning each book, such as the name of the author, number of copies, and so on.

2. Views

Views are the components that are visible to the user, such as an output or a Graphical User Interface (GUI). In the case of a website, generally speaking, the views are the HTML pages.

3. Controllers

Controllers are the components that act as an interface between models and views. The controller interprets the user interactions, or inputs, and performs tasks on models before returning the appropriate data through views. In the case of a point-of-sale application, at checkout, the controller will be responsible for calculating the total bill based on the product purchased, i.e., the model. Also, it will show you the total amount via a GUI, i.e., the view.