Hexagonal Architecture
Domain-centric design separating core logic from external concerns via ports (interfaces) and adapters.
Architecture Diagram
Enabled By Platform Building Blocks
- Identity & Access Management: Provides authentication, authorization, and federation for all services.
- Observability & Operations: Provides visibility, SLOs, and resilience validation across architectures.
What it is
Core business logic depends only on abstractions (ports); adapters implement I/O concerns like databases, brokers, and HTTP.
Benefits
- High testability and substitution of infrastructures
- Clear boundaries and dependency inversion
- Supports both monoliths and services
Distinctions vs. Clean Architecture
- Hexagonal emphasizes external I/O at the boundary via ports/adapters
- Clean emphasizes concentric layers and the dependency rule
- Both are domain‑centric; naming and diagrams differ more than intent
Trade-offs
- More boilerplate (ports, adapters, mappers)
- Requires discipline in large teams