What are ports and adapters in hexagonal architecture?
The hexagonal architecture, or ports and adapters architecture, is an architectural pattern used in software design. It aims at creating loosely coupled application components that can be easily connected to their software environment by means of ports and adapters.
Is hexagonal architecture DDD?
Normally, hexagonal architecture is used with DDD, but other architectures can be used instead. When applying only the tactical design, it is called DDD-lite (not recommended).
Who invented hexagonal architecture?
Alistair Cockburn
Hexagonal Architecture: three principles and an implementation example. Documented in 2005 by Alistair Cockburn, Hexagonal Architecture is a software architecture that has many advantages and has seen renewed interest since 2015.
What is a port and what is an adapter?
An example of a secondary port is an interface to store single objects. This interface simply specifies that an object be created, retrieved, updated, and deleted. It tells you nothing about the way the object is stored. An adapter is a bridge between the application and the service that is needed by the application.
How are adapters used in a hexagonal architecture?
Adapters act as a layer which serve the purpose of transforming the communication between various external actors and application logic in such a way that both remain independent. In hexagonal architecture all the primary and secondary actors interact with the application ports through adapters.
Which is the best description of ports and adapters architecture?
The diagram could have been any polygon with several sides, but the choice turned out to be a hexagon. Hence the name “Hexagonal Architecture”. The Ports & Adapters Architecture solves the problems identified earlier by using an abstraction layer, implemented as a port and an adapter. What is a Port?
How are primary and secondary actors interact in hexagonal architecture?
In hexagonal architecture all the primary and secondary actors interact with the application ports through adapters. Primary actors are the ones which use system to achieve a particular goal whereas secondary actors are the ones which system uses to achieve primary actor’s goals.
How to think about port as central artefact?
The idea is to think about our application as the central artefact of a system, where all input and output reaches/leaves the application through a port that isolates the application from external tools, technologies and delivery mechanisms. The application should have no knowledge of who/what is sending input or receiving its output.