Domaindependence

Domaindependence refers to the property of a system, model, or theory to operate, reason, or produce results that do not depend on the particular domain in which they are applied. It is used to describe efforts to create solutions that function across different industries, problem spaces, or data representations without requiring domain-specific modifications.

In databases, domain independence is a formal requirement for certain queries: the result should depend only on the stored relations and not on the specific domain of attribute values. A domain-independent query yields the same outputs if the active domain is expanded or changed in ways consistent with the schema. In artificial intelligence, domain-independent techniques, such as domain-agnostic planning or learning methods, aim to solve problems described in a generic domain language rather than with hand-tuned domain knowledge.

In software design, domain-independent or domain-agnostic components are designed to work across multiple domains, enabling reuse and easier maintenance. The trade-offs include potential over-generalization, which can reduce efficiency or require additional adapters to accommodate domain-specific requirements. Domaindependence thus represents a balance between broad applicability and the need to capture essential domain knowledge. See also data independence, domain knowledge, and domain-driven design.