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How to Use This Documentation

The Prism Architecture documentation is organized to support different learning styles, knowledge levels, and specific needs. This guide will help you navigate the documentation effectively based on your goals and background.

Documentation Structure​

The documentation is organized into a tiered structure that progresses from fundamental concepts to advanced implementations:

00 - Introduction​

You're here now! This section provides a high-level overview of Prism Architecture, its benefits, and who should use it. It's the perfect starting point for everyone.

01 - Tier 1: Fundamentals​

These core documents explain the essential concepts of Prism Architecture:

  • Architecture Overview: The foundational principles, layer definitions, and communication patterns
  • Core Concepts: Key architectural elements like entities, services, use cases, and presenters
  • Getting Started: Practical guidance on initial implementation decisions and project structure

Tier 1 documents are designed to be read in about 10-20 minutes each and provide a solid foundation without diving into implementation details.

02 - Tier 2: Implementation​

These documents cover practical implementation patterns that are somewhat platform-agnostic:

  • Design Patterns: Common patterns for repositories, presenters, and use cases
  • Cross-Cutting Concerns: Handling concerns like errors, logging, and concurrency
  • Testing Strategies: Approaches for testing different layers and components

Tier 2 documents contain more code examples but focus on patterns rather than platform-specific implementations.

03 - Tier 3: Platform-Specific​

These sections provide detailed, platform-specific implementation guidance:

  • Swift/iOS: Implementation details for Apple platforms
  • Kotlin/Android: Implementation details for Android development
  • Other Platforms: Guidance for additional platforms as available

Tier 3 documents include real code examples and platform-specific adaptations of the core patterns.

04 - Tier 4: Advanced​

These documents cover sophisticated topics for experienced Prism Architecture users:

  • Performance Optimization: Advanced techniques for optimizing Prism Architecture implementations
  • Complex State Management: Handling complex, cross-cutting state requirements
  • Enterprise Patterns: Patterns for large-scale applications with multiple teams

Tier 4 documents assume familiarity with the concepts from earlier tiers.

05 - Prism Lite​

Documentation on the simplified version of Prism Architecture for smaller projects or rapid development:

  • Overview and Use Cases: When to use Prism Lite
  • Implementation Guide: How to implement the streamlined architecture
  • Upgrade Path: How to transition from Lite to full Prism Architecture

06 - Jump-In Guides​

Role-specific and scenario-specific guides for developers who want to focus on particular aspects:

  • Role-Based Guides: Specific guidance for UI developers, domain experts, etc.
  • Migration Guides: How to transition from other architectures to Prism

07 - Examples​

Complete example applications implementing Prism Architecture:

  • Simple Todo App: Basic implementation demonstrating core concepts
  • E-Commerce App: More complex implementation with multiple domains
  • Social Media App: Advanced implementation with complex relationships

08 - Resources​

Supplementary materials to support implementation:

  • Diagrams: Visual representations of key concepts
  • Templates: Starting points for new projects or components
  • Glossary: Definitions of key terms and concepts

Depending on your role and experience, you might benefit from different approaches to the documentation:

For Architecture Decision Makers​

  1. Read the Introduction section completely
  2. Review the Architecture Overview from Tier 1
  3. Explore the Benefits at a Glance document
  4. Review Potential Criticisms for a balanced perspective
  5. Look at Examples to see practical implementations

For Developers New to Prism​

  1. Start with What is Prism Architecture?
  2. Read through all Tier 1 documents in order
  3. Review the Simple Todo App example
  4. Explore Tier 2 documents based on immediate needs
  5. Reference platform-specific guides as needed

For Experienced Developers Transitioning to Prism​

  1. Quickly review the Architecture Overview
  2. Focus on Migration Guides relevant to your background
  3. Dive into platform-specific implementation details
  4. Look at advanced topics related to your project challenges

For UI-Focused Developers​

  1. Read the Presentation Layer section in Architecture Overview
  2. Focus on the UI Developer Guide
  3. Study the Presentation Layer patterns in Tier 2
  4. Explore state management patterns
  5. Review UI-related examples

For Domain-Focused Developers​

  1. Start with Core and Domain Layer sections in Architecture Overview
  2. Focus on the Domain Expert Guide
  3. Study entities, value objects, and domain services documentation
  4. Review domain modeling examples

Documentation Conventions​

To help you navigate efficiently:

  • Cross-References: Links to related documents are provided at the end of each section
  • Code Examples: Platform-specific code is clearly labeled with Swift or Kotlin tags
  • Diagrams: Visual representations are provided for complex concepts
  • Key Concepts: Important ideas are highlighted in callout boxes
  • Reading Time: Estimated reading times are provided at the beginning of each document

Providing Feedback​

If you find areas of the documentation that could be improved:

  • Check the GitHub repository for the documentation project
  • Submit issues or pull requests for corrections or enhancements
  • Contact the Prism Architecture team directly with substantial feedback