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Models separation of concerns

To maintain clean architecture and separation of concerns, API contracts (request/response models) must be kept separate from data models. This separation allows:

  • API contracts to evolve independently from internal data structures
  • Versioning of APIs without affecting internal business logic
  • Validation and serialization specific to API layer

Model Types and Their Purposes​

Request Models (*RequestModel)​

  • Define the shape of data received from API clients
  • Handle data validation (e.g., [Required], [StringLength])
  • Convert to data models via ToData() methods

Response Models (*ResponseModel)​

  • Define the shape of data sent to API clients
  • Construct from data models via constructors or factory methods
  • Handle API-specific formatting and structure

Data Models​

  • Internal representation used by business logic
  • Handle domain logic and transformations
  • Should be clearly distinguishable from API models

Guidelines​

  1. Never expose data models directly in API endpoints
  2. Provide conversion methods
  3. Keep validation at the API layer