This post gives you crisp mental models and **copy‑pasteable patterns** for three frequently‑confused topics: - **MVVM** (Model–View–ViewModel) - **Micro‑Frontends** (MFE) - **Domain‑Driven Design** applied to the frontend (**DDF/DDD**) > TL;DR: Use **MVVM** to structure components, **DDD** to structure the *system/domain*, and **micro‑frontends** only when org/scale complexity requires independent deploys. --- ## Quick Compare (When to use what) | Concern | MVVM | DDD (frontend) | Micro‑Frontends | |---|---|---|---| | Primary goal | Decouple UI from state/logic | Align codebase with business domains & boundaries | Scale teams with independent deploys | | Granularity | Component/feature level | App/system architecture | App/organization level | | Key benefits | Testable UI logic, clearer components | Low coupling, shared language, safer changes | Team autonomy, parallel delivery | | Typical cost | Extra layer (ViewModel) | Upfront modeling + boundaries | Runtime integration, perf, shared deps | | Use if… | Components mix view & logic | Features cross‑contaminate domains | Many teams, large app, diff release cycles | --- ## MVVM in React (practical) **Model** = domain data (entities/value objects). **View** = React UI. **ViewModel** = state + behaviors the View needs (pure, testable, no DOM). ```jsx // /features/todos/viewmodel/useTodosVM.ts import { useState, useMemo, useEffect } from 'react' import { fetchTodos, toggleTodo } from '../services/todoApi' export function useTodosVM() { const [items, setItems] = useState([]) const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false) const [error, setError] = useState(null) async function load() { setLoading(true); setError(null) try { const data = await fetchTodos() setItems(data) } catch (e) { setError('Failed to load') } finally { setLoading(false) } } async function toggle(id) { setItems(xs => xs.map(x => x.id === id ? { ...x, done: !x.done } : x)) try { await toggleTodo(id) } catch {} } const stats = useMemo(() => ({ total: items.length, done: items.filter(x => x.done).length, }), [items]) return { items, loading, error, load, toggle, stats } } ``` ```jsx // /features/todos/components/TodoList.tsx (View) import { useEffect } from 'react' import { useTodosVM } from '../viewmodel/useTodosVM' export function TodoList() { const vm = useTodosVM() useEffect(() => { vm.load() }, []) if (vm.loading) return

Loading…

if (vm.error) return

{vm.error}

return (

{vm.stats.done}/{vm.stats.total} done

vm.toggle(t.id)} /> {t.title}

) } ``` **Why MVVM here works** - ViewModel exposes only what the View needs → easier to mock/test. - UI stays dumb; side‑effects and decisions live in the ViewModel. > Tip: A **custom hook** *is* a great ViewModel. For shared state, use a store (Zustand/Jotai) and export **selectors** as VM surface. --- ## Domain‑Driven Frontend (DDD for UI teams) Goal: mirror business **domains** and **bounded contexts** so features don’t leak across layers. **Core ideas** - **Ubiquitous Language**: same terms in code and meetings (e.g., *Campaign*, *Offer*). - **Bounded Contexts**: define clear borders; inside, a term has one meaning. - **Entities & Value Objects**: explicit types (e.g., `PhoneNumber`, `Money`). - **Application services**: orchestrate use‑cases; **domain services**: pure domain logic. **Foldering (Feature‑Sliced/Domain‑First)** ``` src/ app/ # app shell, routing, providers shared/ # cross‑cutting (ui, lib, api, styles, tokens) entities/ # reusable domain entities (User, Campaign, Money) features/ # user‑visible capabilities (CreateCampaign, SendSMS) pages/ # Next.js routes (compose features) widgets/ # page sections composed from features/entities ``` **Example: Value Object** ```ts // /entities/money/money.ts export class Money { constructor(readonly amount: number, readonly currency: 'EUR'|'USD'|'IRR') { if (!Number.isFinite(amount)) throw new Error('Invalid amount') } add(x: Money) { if (x.currency !== this.currency) throw new Error('Currency mismatch'); return new Money(this.amount + x.amount, this.currency) } format() { return new Intl.NumberFormat(undefined, { style:'currency', currency: this.currency }).format(this.amount) } } ``` **Application Service (use‑case)** ```ts // /features/create-campaign/application/createCampaign.ts import { Money } from '@/entities/money/money' import { CampaignRepo } from '../infrastructure/CampaignRepo' export async function createCampaign(input: { title: string; budget: number; currency: 'EUR' }) { const budget = new Money(input.budget, 'EUR') // business rules… return CampaignRepo.create({ title: input.title, budget }) } ``` > Outcome: Separation between **domain** and **delivery (React/UI)**; safer refactors, clearer ownership. --- ## Micro‑Frontends (MFE) Split a large UI into independently built & deployed parts. Useful for **many teams**, **different release cycles**, or **poly‑stacks**. **Integration styles** 1. **Build‑time**: compose artifacts during CI (simpler, less dynamic). 2. **Runtime via Module Federation**: load remote bundles at runtime (`webpack` MF) — most common. 3. **iframes/Web Components**: hard isolation; tradeoffs in UX/sharing. **What to share** - **Design system** (tokens, components) pinned to a **version**. - **Contracts**: types/protocols between MFEs (e.g., events, URL contracts). - **Auth & routing**: centralized shell or clearly defined hand‑offs. **Minimal Module Federation sketch** ```js // host/next.config.mjs (webpack override) module.exports = { webpack: (config) => { const ModuleFederationPlugin = require('webpack').container.ModuleFederationPlugin config.plugins.push(new ModuleFederationPlugin({ name: 'host', remotes: { billing: 'billing@https://cdn.example.com/billing/remoteEntry.js' }, shared: { react: { singleton: true, requiredVersion: false }, 'react-dom': { singleton: true } }, })) return config } } ``` **Routing + Ownership** - Each MFE owns **its routes** (`/billing/**`), telemetry, error boundaries. - Shell owns the **top‑level layout**, auth/session, cross‑app nav. **Pitfalls & mitigations** - **Duplicate deps** → enforce shared versions; analyze bundle. - **Design drift** → versioned DS + visual regression tests. - **Cross‑MFE state** → avoid if possible; communicate via URL/events. > Use MFEs when organizational complexity dominates. If one team, one repo, **don’t** start here. --- ## Putting it together - Use **DDD** to split the product into **domains/bounded contexts**. - Within each domain/feature, structure UI with **MVVM** (custom hooks as ViewModels). - If the org demands independent deploys per domain → **consider MFEs** and expose each domain UI as a remote module. - Keep **contracts** explicit (types, events, URL schemas). **Diagram (text)** ``` [ App Shell ] ├── [ Domain A MFE ] -- MVVM inside ├── [ Domain B MFE ] -- MVVM inside └── [ Shared DS/Auth/Telemetry ] ``` --- ## Decision Guide 1. **Single team, growing app?** → Start with **DDD foldering + MVVM**. 2. **Multiple teams, conflicting releases?** → Add **MFE** for those domains. 3. **Migration**: carve out a bounded context → expose via Module Federation → route traffic gradually. --- ## Testing & Observability - **Domain tests** for entities/services (pure). - **ViewModel tests** for behavior without DOM. - **Contract tests** between MFEs. - **E2E** across shell + MFEs (Playwright). - **Telemetry** per MFE: errors, web vitals, perf budgets. --- ## Starter Folder Blueprint (Next.js App Router) ``` src/ app/ layout.tsx (routes)... shared/ ui/ (design system) lib/ (utils) api/ (clients) entities/ features/ widgets/ ``` --- ## Cheatsheet - **MVVM**: put UI logic in a **ViewModel** (custom hook/store). Keep views dumb. - **DDD**: align code with **business domains** and **bounded contexts**. - **MFE**: only when org scaling needs **independent deploys**; share DS & contracts. - Prefer **URL/event‑based** integration over shared global state. --- If you want, I can generate a **minimal Next.js template** that implements: - Domain‑first foldering - MVVM feature example - Optional Module Federation host + one remote

Posts tagged “mvvm”

MVVM, Micro‑Frontends, and Domain‑Driven Frontend — A Practical GuideNew