interfaceabove

Interfaceabove is a term used in software design to describe an abstraction layer positioned above a user interface. It aims to mediate between presentation logic and underlying data, services, and domain rules, enabling the UI to evolve independently from the rest of the system. The phrase is not a formal standard but a descriptive name used in discussions of architectural layering.

Conceptually, the interfaceabove layer exposes a stable, UI-facing API that is platform- or technology-agnostic. It uses adapters or presenters to translate user actions into domain commands and to surface results or errors back to the UI. By isolating the UI from business logic and data access, it supports testing, reuse, and platform portability.

Relation to other patterns: the interfaceabove layer is compatible with patterns such as MVC, MVVM, or Clean/Hexagonal Architecture. It functions as a boundary that can host view models, controllers, or presenters and can be implemented with synchronous or asynchronous communication, depending on the platform.

Advantages include reduced coupling, easier unit testing, and the ability to switch UI technologies with minimal changes to core logic. Drawbacks can include added complexity, more boilerplate, and potential performance overhead from extra indirection.

Examples of use include cross-platform applications that must support desktop and mobile interfaces with shared business logic, or large systems where multiple UI channels (web, mobile, voice) rely on a single underlying domain model. Because "interfaceabove" is not standardized, implementations vary widely by project.

See also: software architecture, abstraction layer, adapter pattern, model–view patterns.