Define project's architecture

[pournasserian]

Architectural Considerations for Building a Headless CMS with ASP.NET Core and Blazor Server App

1. Layered Architecture

Break down the application into distinct layers:

• Presentation Layer (Blazor Server App): Houses admin dashboard and content management interfaces.
• Application Layer: User input processing, application logic execution, and user output return.
• Domain Layer: Business rules, entities, and domain logic definitions.
• Infrastructure Layer: Manages data access and external system integrations.

2. Clean Architecture

Divide the system into concentric circles emphasizing separation of concerns:

• Entities: Application's business logic representation.
• Use Cases: Application-specific business rules.
• Interface Adapters: Data adaptation between internal and external formats.
• Frameworks and Drivers: IO operations' home, including Blazor Server App and ASP.NET Core Web APIs.

3. Domain-Driven Design (DDD)

Understanding and modeling the domain:

• Entities and Value Objects: Main domain objects.
• Aggregates: Ensure data modification consistency.
• Repositories: Domain object retrieval interfaces.
• Domain Events: Capture of domain-specific actions.

4. CQRS

Model separation pattern for reading (query) from updating data (command).

5. API First Development

Prioritize API design considering:

• Versioning
• Authentication
• Authorization

6. Repository Pattern

Data access logic abstraction.

7. Microservices (Optional)

Functionalities segregation strategy:

• Authentication
• Content management
• Media storage

8. Database Choices

• Relational databases like SQL Server.
• NoSQL databases like MongoDB or CosmosDB.

9. Blazor Server-Specific Considerations

• State Management: Efficient state management due to server-based user sessions.
• Performance: Efficient rendering is paramount.
• SignalR: Required for real-time web functionalities.

10. Extensibility

Flexible system enhancement with plugin or extension capabilities.

11. Testing

• Unit Testing: Individual component, service, and repository testing.
• Integration Testing: Component interaction testing.
• End-to-End Testing: Full workflow testing.

12. Onion Architecture

Focuses on application's core, separating it from frequently changing modules:

• Core Layer (Innermost Circle):
  • Entities/Domain Models: Primary data objects.
  • Interfaces: Define contracts for outer layers.
• Service Layer:
  • Domain Services: Business logic outside entity boundaries.
• Application Layer:
  • Application Services: Domain object orchestration and infrastructure tasks.
  • DTOs (Data Transfer Objects): Data transmission objects.
• Infrastructure Layer (Outermost Circle):
  • Repositories: Implement repository interfaces.
  • Factories: For intricate object creation.
  • Services: External services like email and file storage.
• UI/Web Layer:
  • Controllers/Views/ViewModels: User interface layer.

Key Principles

• Inner layers define interfaces; outer layers provide implementations.
• Core remains independent of outer layers.
• Center the application around an independent object model.

Advantages

• Separation of Concerns: Clear layers with distinct responsibilities.
• Maintainability: Enhances maintenance and scalability.
• Testability: Dependency Inversion Principle fosters easier testing.

Disadvantages

• Overhead: Can be overwhelming for simple applications.
• Learning Curve: Takes time for newcomers to master.