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Hexagonal Software Architecture for Web Applications

Discover Hexagonal Architecture to create web applications with isolated, testable layers. Gain insights into designing clean, maintainable modules and advocating for suitable techniques for your application.

Beginner

84 Lessons

6h 45min

Certificate of Completion

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Explanations

AI-POWERED

Explanations

This course includes

1 Assessment

11 Quizzes

Course Overview

Course Content

Course Overview

This course will teach you all about creating a web application in the Hexagonal Architecture style. Hexagonal Architecture promotes the separation of concerns by encapsulating logic in different layers of the application. This enables a higher level of isolation, testability, and control over your business specific code. You will learn how to design software modules and complete applications in a clean and maintainable manner, while also learning how to advocate for a certain technique given your applica...Show More

Course Content

Before We Begin

2 Lessons

Get familiar with Hexagonal Architecture for creating adaptable, extendable software systems.

Introduction

The Sample Application

What's Wrong with Layers?

7 Lessons

Unpack the core of layered architecture pitfalls, including complexity, testing difficulties, and parallel work challenges.

Promotes Database-Driven Design

Prone to Shortcuts

Grows Hard to Test

Hides the Use Cases

Makes Parallel Work Difficult

Conclusion: What's Wrong with Layers?

Quiz: What's Wrong with Layers?

Inverting Dependencies

7 Lessons

Examine principles of inverting dependencies for modularity, flexibility, and maintainability in software architecture.

The Single Responsibility Principle

A Table about Side Effects

The Dependency Inversion Principle

Clean Architecture

Hexagonal Architecture

Conclusion: Inverting Dependencies

Quiz: Inverting Dependencies

Organizing Code

6 Lessons

Break down the steps to organize code by layers, features, and expressive package structures.

Organizing by Layer

Organizing by Feature

Architecturally Expressive Package Structure

The Role of Dependency Injection

Conclusion: Organizing Code

Quiz: Organizing Code

Implementing a Use Case

11 Lessons

Map out the steps for implementing use case-specific models and rigorous input validation.

Implementing the Domain Model

A Use Case in a Nutshell

Validating Input

The Power of Constructors

Different Input Models for Different Use Cases

Validating Business Rules

Rich vs. Anemic Domain Model

Different Output Models for Different Use Cases

What About Read-Only Use Cases?

Conclusion: Implementing a Use Case

Quiz: Implementing a Use Case

Implementing a Web Adapter

5 Lessons

Tackle creating clean web adapters for handling HTTP requests, ensuring maintainability and modularity.

Dependency Inversion with a Web Adapter

Responsibilities of a Web Adapter

Slicing Controllers

Conclusion: Implementing a Web Adapter

Quiz: Implementing a Web Adapter

Implementing a Persistence Adapter

8 Lessons

Master the steps to implement a persistence adapter, promoting flexibility and maintainability in software development.

Dependency Inversion with a Persistence Adapter

Responsibilities of a Persistence Adapter

Slicing Port Interfaces

Slicing Persistence Adapters

Example with Spring Data JPA

Database Transactions

Conclusion: Implementing a Persistence Adapter

Quiz: Implementing a Persistence Adapter

Testing Architecture Elements

9 Lessons

Learn how to use effective testing strategies for different layers in Hexagonal Architecture.

The Test Pyramid

Testing a Domain Entity with Unit Tests

Testing a Use Case with Unit Tests

Testing a Web Adapter with Integration Tests

Testing a Persistence Adapter with Integration Tests

Testing Main Paths with System Tests

How Much Testing is Enough?

Conclusion: Testing Architecture Elements

Quiz: Testing Architecture Elements

Mapping Between Boundaries

7 Lessons

Walk through mapping strategies for different layers in hexagonal software architecture.

The "No Mapping" Strategy

The "Two-Way" Mapping Strategy

The "Full" Mapping Strategy

The "One-Way" Mapping Strategy

When to Use Which Mapping Strategy?

Conclusion: Mapping Between Boundaries

Quiz: Mapping Between Boundaries

10.

Assembling the Application

6 Lessons

Work your way through efficient web application assembly, focusing on dependency management and flexibility.

Why Even Care About Assembly?

Assembling via Plain Code

Assembling via Spring's Classpath Scanning

Assembling via Spring's Java Config

Conclusion: Assembling the Application

Quiz: Assembling the Application

11.

Enforcing Architecture Boundaries

6 Lessons

Break down the steps to enforce architecture boundaries and manage dependencies efficiently.

Boundaries and Dependencies

Visibility Modifiers

Post-Compile Checks

Build Artifacts

Conclusion: Enforcing Architecture Boundaries

Quiz: Enforcing Architecture Boundaries

12.

Taking Shortcuts Consciously

8 Lessons

Recognize and manage necessary shortcuts in software development, ensuring long-term code integrity.

Why Are Shortcuts Like Broken Windows?

The Responsibility of Starting Clean

Sharing Models between Use Cases

Using Domain Entities as an Input or Output Model

Skipping Incoming Ports

Skipping Application Services

Conclusion: Taking Shortcuts Consciously

Quiz: Taking Shortcuts Consciously

Assessment

14.

Conclusion

1 Lessons

Choose the right architecture style based on domain importance, team experience, and comfort.

Deciding on an Architecture Style

15.

Appendix

1 Lessons

Gain insights on historical origins, dependency inversion, Hexagonal Architecture, JPA complexity, and software design flexibility.

Appendix I

Course Author

Tom Hombergs

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