The MVC Architecture

Sadika
3 min readSep 19, 2023

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MVC (Model-View-Controller) is a renowned architectural pattern forming countless software applications' backbone. This pattern carefully divides an application into three distinct yet interrelated components: the Model, the View, and the Controller.

It separates the logic of the application from the display. MVC, with its ‘separation of concerns principle, not only creates a solid framework for web applications but also ensures that different aspects of the application are neatly organized, simplifying future scalability.

The three parts of MVC are:

  1. Model: Defines the structure of the data
  2. View: Handles the user interface and data presentation
  3. Controller: Updates the model and view based on user input

How MVC Works

User Interaction through the View:

The journey begins when a user interacts with the application, typically through the user interface presented by the View. This interaction could be as simple as submitting a form or clicking a button, or it might involve more complex actions. The View captures these user actions and sends a request to the Controller.

Controller The Brain of the Operation:

The Controller, often regarded as the brain of the MVC pattern, captures these requests and determines how they should be handled. It takes into account the application’s logic and business rules.

Model’s Data Retrieval:

The Controller requests data from the Model, specifying what it needs. The Model, responsible for data integrity, formulates precise database queries and communicates with the database server by sending them.

Database Responds to Queries:

The database server leaps into action, processes queries, and fetches the data. This data, neatly packaged as a result set, is sent back to the Model.

Model Prepares Data:

The Model processes data, ensuring alignment with the app’s structure. It then hands the data to the Controller.

Controller Decides:

The Controller, armed with data, makes decisions based on user actions and application logic.

Data Presentation:

Finally, when data is meant to be displayed or presented to the user, the Controller collaborates with the View. The View utilizes this data to render the user interface accordingly.

MVC with MERN

The MERN Stack is a JavaScript Stack short for MongoDB, Express, React, and Node.js that is widely used for easier and faster deployment of full-stack web applications.

Model:

In the Model layer, databases play a critical role. MongoDB is a popular choice due to its flexibility and scalability. When integrated with Mongoose, a JavaScript framework, developers can define data models and interact with MongoDB in a structured manner.

View:

React serves as the front-end part of the MVC setup, efficiently rendering components. Templating languages such as EJS and handlebars can be used with Node.js and Express.

Controller:

The Controller, often powered by Node.js and Express.js, handles application logic efficiently. Express simplifies routing and HTTP requests, while Node.js, with its non-blocking, event-driven architecture, manages real-time and data-intensive applications.

thank you for reading :)

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