Domain-Driven Design for Microservices: An Evidence-Based Investigation

MicroService Architecture (MSA), a predominant architectural style in recent years, still faces the arduous task of identifying the boundaries of microservices. Domain-Driven Design (DDD) is regarded as one of the major design methods for addressing this task in practice, which aims to iteratively build domain models using a series of patterns, principles, and practices. The adoption of DDD for MSA (
DDD4M
in short) can, however, present considerable challenges in terms of a sufficient understanding of the methodological requirements and the application domains. It is imperative to establish a systematic understanding about the various aspects of employing DDD4M and provide effective guidance. This study reports an empirical inquiry that integrates a systematic literature review and a confirmatory survey. By reviewing 34 scientific studies and consulting 63 practitioners, this study reveals several distinctive findings with regard to the state and challenges of as well as the possible solutions for DDD4M applications, from the
5W1H
perspectives:
When
,
Where
,
Why
,
Who
,
What
, and
How
. The analysis and synthesis of evidence show a wide variation in understanding of domain modeling artifacts. The status quo indicates the need for further methodological support in terms of application process, domain model design and implementation, and domain knowledge acquisition and management. To advance the state-of-the-practice, our findings were organized into a preliminary checklist that intends to assist practitioners by illuminating a DDD4M application process and the specific key considerations along the way.