domaincentric

Domaincentric, often written with a hyphen as domain-centric, is an adjective describing approaches, architectures, or initiatives that place a specific business or knowledge domain at the center of design and decision making. It emphasizes tailoring solutions to the vocabulary, rules, and constraints of the chosen domain rather than applying generic, technology-focused methods.

In software engineering, domain-centric design prioritizes the domain model and business logic over incidental technical concerns. It is closely associated with Domain-Driven Design, which advocates using a ubiquitous language shared by domain experts and developers, organizing code around bounded contexts, and evolving a rich domain model that captures core business concepts.

In data management and governance, domain-centric architectures organize data around distinct business domains—such as customer, product, or supplier—to improve data quality, stewardship, and governance. This approach supports domain-specific ontologies, policies, and access controls, while still enabling cross-domain integration where necessary.

Key characteristics of domain-centric approaches include a strong focus on the domain model, collaboration with domain experts, use of ubiquitous language, and structures like bounded contexts that encapsulate domain logic. Benefits typically include closer alignment with business goals, clearer ownership, and improved ability to adapt to domain changes. Challenges can include risk of domain silos, the need for careful integration across domains, and a reliance on subject-matter expertise.

Related concepts include Domain-Driven Design, domain-specific architectures, and domain ontologies.