MVxlike

MVxlike is a term used in software architecture to describe a family of design patterns that generalize the Model-View- X (MVX) concept. In MVxlike patterns, the core idea is to separate data and business logic from the user interface, while introducing a coordinating component denoted as X. The X component can take the form of a presenter, a view model, or a controller, and its role is to mediate between the model and the view, handling presentation logic, state management, and interaction orchestration.

The defining characteristic of MVxlike is the explicit interchangeability of the X component while preserving the fundamental separation between model and view. This framing allows discussions to compare different realizations—such as Model-View-Presenter (MVP), Model-View-ViewModel (MVVM), and Model-View-Controller (MVC)—in terms of responsibilities, testability, and data-flow patterns. Common features across MVxlike implementations include a focus on testability, the use of data binding or reactive updates, and often a unidirectional or clearly organized data flow from model through X to the view.

Applications of MVxlike patterns span mobile, desktop, and web development, where frameworks adopt one of the MVxlike realizations to promote modularity and maintainability. Critics of MVxlike caution that introducing an X layer can add boilerplate or indirection if not carefully scoped to the problem domain.

See also: MVC, MVP, MVVM, MVU, Model-View-Controller.