domain-identification-grouping

Domain Identification and Grouping

This skill groups architectural components into logical domains (business areas) to prepare for creating domain services in a service-based architecture.

How to Use

Quick Start

Request analysis of your codebase:

• "Group components into logical domains"
• "Identify component domains for service-based architecture"
• "Create domain groupings from components"
• "Analyze which components belong to which domains"

Usage Examples

Example 1: Domain Identification

User: "Group components into logical domains"

The skill will:
1. Analyze component responsibilities and relationships
2. Identify business domains based on functionality
3. Group components into domains
4. Create domain diagrams
5. Suggest namespace refactoring for domain alignment

Example 2: Domain Analysis

User: "Which domain should the billing components belong to?"

The skill will:
1. Analyze billing component functionality
2. Check relationships with other components
3. Identify appropriate domain (e.g., Customer or Financial)
4. Recommend domain assignment

Example 3: Domain Refactoring

User: "What namespace refactoring is needed to align components with domains?"

The skill will:
1. Compare current component namespaces to identified domains
2. Identify misaligned components
3. Suggest namespace changes
4. Create refactoring plan

Step-by-Step Process

1. Identify Domains: Analyze business capabilities and component relationships
2. Group Components: Assign components to appropriate domains
3. Validate Groupings: Ensure components fit well in their domains
4. Refactor Namespaces: Align component namespaces with domains
5. Create Domain Map: Visualize domain structure and component groupings

When to Use

Apply this skill when:

• After identifying, sizing, and analyzing component dependencies
• Before creating domain services (Pattern 6)
• When planning service-based architecture migration
• Analyzing component relationships and business alignment
• Preparing for domain-driven design implementation
• Grouping components for better organization

Core Concepts

Domain Definition

A domain is a logical grouping of components that:

• Represents a distinct business capability or area
• Contains related components that work together
• Has clear boundaries and responsibilities
• Can become a domain service in service-based architecture

Examples:

• Customer Domain: Customer profile, billing, support contracts
• Ticketing Domain: Ticket creation, assignment, routing, completion
• Reporting Domain: Ticket reports, expert reports, financial reports

Component Domain Relationship

One-to-Many: A single domain contains multiple components

Domain: Customer
├── Component: Customer Profile
├── Component: Billing Payment
├── Component: Billing History
└── Component: Support Contract

Domain Manifestation

Domains are physically manifested through namespace structure:

Before Domain Alignment:

services/billing/payment
services/billing/history
services/customer/profile
services/supportcontract

After Domain Alignment:

services/customer/billing/payment
services/customer/billing/history
services/customer/profile
services/customer/supportcontract

Notice how all customer-related functionality is grouped under .customer domain.

Analysis Process

Phase 1: Identify Business Domains

Analyze the codebase to identify distinct business domains:

1. Examine Component Responsibilities

• Read component names and descriptions
• Understand what each component does
• Identify business capabilities

1. Look for Business Language

• Group components by business vocabulary
• Example: "billing", "payment", "invoice" → Financial domain
• Example: "customer", "profile", "contract" → Customer domain

1. Identify Domain Boundaries

• Where do business concepts change?
• What are the distinct business areas?
• How do components relate to business capabilities?

1. Collaborate with Business Stakeholders

• Validate domain identification with product owners
• Ensure domains align with business understanding
• Get feedback on domain boundaries

Example Domain Identification:

## Identified Domains

1. **Ticketing Domain** (ss.ticket)
   - Ticket creation, assignment, routing, completion
   - Customer surveys
   - Knowledge base

2. **Customer Domain** (ss.customer)
   - Customer profile
   - Billing and payment
   - Support contracts

3. **Reporting Domain** (ss.reporting)
   - Ticket reports
   - Expert reports
   - Financial reports

4. **Admin Domain** (ss.admin)
   - User maintenance
   - Expert profile management

5. **Shared Domain** (ss.shared)
   - Login
   - Notification

Phase 2: Group Components into Domains

Assign each component to an appropriate domain:

1. Analyze Component Functionality

• What business capability does it support?
• What domain vocabulary does it use?
• What other components does it relate to?

1. Check Component Relationships

• Which components are frequently used together?
• What are the dependencies between components?
• Do components share data or workflows?

1. Assign to Domain

• Place component in domain that best fits its functionality
• Ensure component aligns with domain's business language
• Verify component relationships support domain grouping

1. Handle Edge Cases

• Components that don't fit clearly: Analyze more deeply
• Components that fit multiple domains: Choose primary domain
• Shared components: May belong to Shared domain

Example Component Grouping:

## Component Domain Assignment

### Ticketing Domain (ss.ticket)

- Ticket Shared (ss.ticket.shared)
- Ticket Maintenance (ss.ticket.maintenance)
- Ticket Completion (ss.ticket.completion)
- Ticket Assign (ss.ticket.assign)
- Ticket Route (ss.ticket.route)
- KB Maintenance (ss.ticket.kb.maintenance)
- KB Search (ss.ticket.kb.search)
- Survey (ss.ticket.survey)

### Customer Domain (ss.customer)

- Customer Profile (ss.customer.profile)
- Billing Payment (ss.customer.billing.payment)
- Billing History (ss.customer.billing.history)
- Support Contract (ss.customer.supportcontract)

### Reporting Domain (ss.reporting)

- Reporting Shared (ss.reporting.shared)
- Ticket Reports (ss.reporting.tickets)
- Expert Reports (ss.reporting.experts)
- Financial Reports (ss.reporting.financial)

Phase 3: Validate Domain Groupings

Ensure components fit well in their assigned domains:

1. Check Cohesion

• Do components in domain share business language?
• Are components frequently used together?
• Do components have direct relationships?

1. Verify Boundaries

• Are domain boundaries clear?
• Do components belong to only one domain?
• Are there components that don't fit anywhere?

1. Assess Completeness

• Are all components assigned to a domain?
• Are domains cohesive and well-formed?
• Do domains represent distinct business capabilities?

1. Get Stakeholder Validation

• Review domain groupings with product owners
• Ensure domains align with business understanding
• Get feedback on domain boundaries

Validation Checklist:

• [ ] All components assigned to a domain
• [ ] Domains have clear boundaries
• [ ] Components fit well in their domains
• [ ] Domains represent distinct business capabilities
• [ ] Stakeholders validate domain groupings

Phase 4: Refactor Namespaces for Domain Alignment

Align component namespaces with identified domains:

1. Compare Current vs Target Namespaces

• Current: services/billing/payment
• Target: services/customer/billing/payment
• Change: Add .customer domain node

1. Identify Refactoring Needed

• Which components need namespace changes?
• What domain nodes need to be added?
• Are there components already aligned?

1. Create Refactoring Plan

• List components needing namespace changes
• Specify target namespace for each
• Prioritize refactoring work

1. Execute Refactoring

• Update component namespaces
• Update imports/references
• Verify all references updated

Example Namespace Refactoring:

## Namespace Refactoring Plan

### Customer Domain Alignment

| Component        | Current Namespace   | Target Namespace            | Action        |
| ---------------- | ------------------- | --------------------------- | ------------- |
| Billing Payment  | ss.billing.payment  | ss.customer.billing.payment | Add .customer |
| Billing History  | ss.billing.history  | ss.customer.billing.history | Add .customer |
| Customer Profile | ss.customer.profile | ss.customer.profile         | No change     |
| Support Contract | ss.supportcontract  | ss.customer.supportcontract | Add .customer |

### Ticketing Domain Alignment

| Component      | Current Namespace | Target Namespace         | Action      |
| -------------- | ----------------- | ------------------------ | ----------- |
| KB Maintenance | ss.kb.maintenance | ss.ticket.kb.maintenance | Add .ticket |
| KB Search      | ss.kb.search      | ss.ticket.kb.search      | Add .ticket |
| Survey         | ss.survey         | ss.ticket.survey         | Add .ticket |

Phase 5: Create Domain Map

Visualize domain structure and component groupings:

1. Create Domain Diagram

• Show domains as boxes
• Show components within each domain
• Show relationships between domains

1. Document Domain Structure

• List domains and their components
• Describe domain responsibilities
• Note domain boundaries

1. Create Domain Inventory

• Table of domains and components
• Component counts per domain
• Size metrics per domain

Example Domain Map:

## Domain Map

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐

│ Ticketing Domain (ss.ticket) │

├─────────────────────────────────────┤

│ • Ticket Shared │

│ • Ticket Maintenance │

│ • Ticket Completion │

│ • Ticket Assign │

│ • Ticket Route │

│ • KB Maintenance │

│ • KB Search │

│ • Survey │

└─────────────────────────────────────┘

│

│ uses

▼

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐

│ Customer Domain (ss.customer) │

├─────────────────────────────────────┤

│ • Customer Profile │

│ • Billing Payment │

│ • Billing History │

│ • Support Contract │

└─────────────────────────────────────┘

## Output Format

### Domain Identification Report

Domain Identification

Domain: Customer (ss.customer)

Business Capability: Manages customer relationships, billing, and support contracts

Components:

• Customer Profile (ss.customer.profile)
• Billing Payment (ss.customer.billing.payment)
• Billing History (ss.customer.billing.history)
• Support Contract (ss.customer.supportcontract)

Component Count: 4

Total Size: ~15,000 statements (18% of codebase)

Domain Cohesion: ✅ High

• Components share customer-related vocabulary
• Components frequently used together
• Direct relationships between components

Boundaries:

• Clear separation from Ticketing domain
• Clear separation from Reporting domain
• Shared components (Notification) used by all domains

### Component Domain Assignment Table

Component Domain Assignment

| Component | Current Namespace | Assigned Domain | Target Namespace |

| ------------------ | --------------------- | --------------- | --------------------------------- |

| Customer Profile | ss.customer.profile | Customer | ss.customer.profile (no change) |

| Billing Payment | ss.billing.payment | Customer | ss.customer.billing.payment |

| Ticket Maintenance | ss.ticket.maintenance | Ticketing | ss.ticket.maintenance (no change) |

| KB Maintenance | ss.kb.maintenance | Ticketing | ss.ticket.kb.maintenance |

| Reporting Shared | ss.reporting.shared | Reporting | ss.reporting.shared (no change) |

### Namespace Refactoring Plan

Namespace Refactoring Plan

Priority: High

Customer Domain Alignment

Components to Refactor:

1. Billing Payment: ss.billing.payment → ss.customer.billing.payment
2. Billing History: ss.billing.history → ss.customer.billing.history
3. Support Contract: ss.supportcontract → ss.customer.supportcontract

Steps:

1. Update namespace declarations in source files
2. Update import statements in dependent components
3. Update directory structure
4. Run tests to verify changes
5. Update documentation

Expected Impact:

• All customer-related components aligned under .customer domain
• Clearer domain boundaries
• Easier to identify domain components

### Domain Map Visualization

Domain Map

Domain Structure

Customer Domain (ss.customer)
├── Customer Profile
├── Billing Payment
├── Billing History
└── Support Contract

Ticketing Domain (ss.ticket)
├── Ticket Shared
├── Ticket Maintenance
├── Ticket Completion
├── Ticket Assign
├── Ticket Route
├── KB Maintenance
├── KB Search
└── Survey

Reporting Domain (ss.reporting)
├── Reporting Shared
├── Ticket Reports
├── Expert Reports
└── Financial Reports

Admin Domain (ss.admin)
├── User Maintenance
└── Expert Profile

Shared Domain (ss.shared)
├── Login
└── Notification

Domain Relationships

Ticketing Domain
│ uses
├─→ Shared Domain (Login, Notification)
└─→ Customer Domain (Customer Profile)

Customer Domain
│ uses
└─→ Shared Domain (Login, Notification)

Reporting Domain
│ uses
├─→ Ticketing Domain (Ticket data)
├─→ Customer Domain (Customer data)
└─→ Shared Domain (Login)

## Analysis Checklist

**Domain Identification**:

- [ ] Analyzed component responsibilities
- [ ] Identified business capabilities
- [ ] Identified distinct business domains
- [ ] Validated domains with stakeholders

**Component Grouping**:

- [ ] Assigned each component to a domain
- [ ] Analyzed component relationships
- [ ] Ensured components fit domain vocabulary
- [ ] Handled edge cases (shared components, unclear assignments)

**Domain Validation**:

- [ ] Checked cohesion within domains
- [ ] Verified domain boundaries are clear
- [ ] Ensured all components assigned
- [ ] Validated with stakeholders

**Namespace Refactoring**:

- [ ] Compared current vs target namespaces
- [ ] Identified components needing refactoring
- [ ] Created refactoring plan
- [ ] Prioritized refactoring work

**Domain Mapping**:

- [ ] Created domain diagram
- [ ] Documented domain structure
- [ ] Created domain inventory table
- [ ] Documented domain relationships

## Implementation Notes

### For Node.js/Express Applications

Domains typically organized in `services/` directory:

services/

├── customer/ ← Customer Domain

│ ├── profile/

│ ├── billing/

│ │ ├── payment/

│ │ └── history/

│ └── supportcontract/

├── ticket/ ← Ticketing Domain

│ ├── shared/

│ ├── maintenance/

│ ├── assign/

│ └── route/

└── reporting/ ← Reporting Domain

├── shared/

├── tickets/

└── experts/

### For Java Applications

Domains identified by package structure:

com.company.customer ← Customer Domain

├── profile

├── billing

│ ├── payment

│ └── history

└── supportcontract

com.company.ticket ← Ticketing Domain

├── shared

├── maintenance

├── assign

└── route

### Domain Identification Strategies

**Strategy 1: Business Capability Analysis**

- Identify what business capabilities the system provides
- Group components by capability
- Example: "Customer Management" capability → Customer Domain

**Strategy 2: Vocabulary Analysis**

- Identify business vocabulary used by components
- Group components sharing same vocabulary
- Example: Components using "billing", "payment", "invoice" → Financial Domain

**Strategy 3: Relationship Analysis**

- Identify components frequently used together
- Group components with strong relationships
- Example: Components that share data/workflows → Same Domain

**Strategy 4: Stakeholder Collaboration**

- Work with product owners/business analysts
- Use their understanding of business areas
- Validate domain boundaries with them

## Fitness Functions

After creating domains, create automated checks:

### Domain Namespace Governance

// Ensure components belong to correct domain

function validateDomainNamespaces(components, domainRules) {

const violations = []

components.forEach((comp) => {

const domain = identifyDomain(comp.namespace)

const expectedDomain = domainRules[comp.name]

if (domain !== expectedDomain) {

violations.push({

component: comp.name,

currentDomain: domain,

expectedDomain: expectedDomain,

namespace: comp.namespace,

})

}

})

return violations

}

### Domain Boundary Enforcement

// Prevent components from accessing other domains directly

function enforceDomainBoundaries(components) {

const violations = []

components.forEach((comp) => {

comp.imports.forEach((imp) => {

const importedDomain = identifyDomain(imp)

const componentDomain = identifyDomain(comp.namespace)

if (importedDomain !== componentDomain && importedDomain !== 'shared') {

violations.push({

component: comp.name,

domain: componentDomain,

importsFrom: imp,

importedDomain: importedDomain,

issue: 'Cross-domain direct dependency',

})

}

})

})

return violations

}

## Best Practices

### Do's ✅

- Collaborate with business stakeholders to identify domains
- Group components by business capability, not technical layers
- Ensure domains represent distinct business areas
- Validate domain boundaries with stakeholders
- Refactor namespaces to align with domains
- Create clear domain documentation
- Use business language in domain names

### Don'ts ❌

- Don't create domains based on technical layers (services, controllers, models)
- Don't force components into domains where they don't fit
- Don't skip stakeholder validation
- Don't create too many small domains (aim for 3-7 domains)
- Don't create domains that are too large (monolithic domains)
- Don't ignore components that don't fit (analyze why)
- Don't skip namespace refactoring (critical for clarity)

## Common Domain Patterns

### Typical Domains in Business Applications

- **Customer Domain**: Customer management, profiles, relationships
- **Product Domain**: Product catalog, inventory, pricing
- **Order Domain**: Order processing, fulfillment, shipping
- **Billing Domain**: Invoicing, payments, financial transactions
- **Reporting Domain**: Reports, analytics, dashboards
- **Admin Domain**: User management, system configuration
- **Shared Domain**: Common functionality (login, notification, utilities)

### Domain Size Guidelines

- **Small Domain**: 2-4 components
- **Medium Domain**: 5-8 components
- **Large Domain**: 9-15 components
- **Too Large**: >15 components (consider splitting)

## Next Steps

After creating component domains:

1. **Apply Create Domain Services Pattern** - Extract domains to separate services
2. **Plan Service Extraction** - Create migration plan for domain services
3. **Implement Domain Services** - Move domains to separately deployed services
4. **Monitor Domain Boundaries** - Use fitness functions to enforce boundaries

## Notes

- Domains should represent business capabilities, not technical layers
- Domain identification requires collaboration with business stakeholders
- Namespace refactoring is critical for domain clarity
- Domains prepare the codebase for service-based architecture
- Well-formed domains make service extraction easier
- Domain boundaries should be clear and well-documented