Bounded context relationships
We need bounded contexts to be as independent as possible. However, this does not mean that bounded contexts are completely isolated from each other. Bounded contexts need to collaborate with others to provide business value. Whenever there is collaboration required between two bounded contexts, the nature of their relationship is not only influenced by their individual goals and priorities but also by the prevailing organizational realities. In a high-performing environment, it is fairly common to have a single team assume ownership of a bounded context. The relationships between the teams owning these bounded contexts play a significant role in influencing the integration patterns employed to arrive at a solution. At a high level, there are two categories of relationships:
- Symmetric
- Asymmetric
Let’s look at these relationship types in more detail.
Symmetric relationship patterns
Two teams, say team A and team B, can be...
