Backend Architecture
Core concepts used to design and structure backend applications.
Terms in Backend Architecture
Application Boundary
An application boundary separates one responsibility or subsystem from another.
Backend
The backend is the server-side part of an application responsible for business logic, data access, and APIs.
Backend Contract
A backend contract defines the expected interaction between an API and its consumers.
Business Logic
Business logic represents the rules and operations specific to an application's domain.
Configuration Layer
A configuration layer centralizes environment-specific application settings.
Controller
A controller coordinates incoming requests with application logic and responses.
DTO
A Data Transfer Object carries structured data between application boundaries.
Data Access Layer
The data access layer handles communication between application logic and persistent storage.
Dependency Injection
Dependency injection supplies required dependencies to components rather than making them construct those dependencies themselves.
Deserialization
Deserialization converts serialized data into an application representation.
Domain Model
A domain model represents important concepts and rules of a particular business domain.
Feature Module
A feature module groups related backend functionality around a business capability.
Inversion of Control
Inversion of control transfers responsibility for creating or coordinating dependencies to an external mechanism.
Middleware Chain
A middleware chain is a sequence of processing components through which requests and responses pass.
Repository Pattern
The repository pattern separates data-access operations from business logic.
Request Lifecycle
The request lifecycle describes the stages an HTTP request passes through before a response is returned.
Route
A route maps an incoming URL and HTTP method to application logic.
Schema
A schema defines the expected structure and validation rules of application data.
Separation of Concerns
Separation of concerns keeps different responsibilities in distinct parts of an application.
Serialization
Serialization converts application objects or data structures into a transferable representation.
Service Layer
A service layer contains reusable business logic separately from request-handling code.