Decoding MVU: The Emerging Software Architecture Powerhouse

3 min readNov 9, 2024

The Thrilling Love Triangle: Model, View, Update — A Wild Ride into the Heart of Advanced Software Architecture

Welcome, brave souls, to the epic saga of Model, View, and Update (MVU) — the love triangle that has software architects on the edge of their seats. Fasten your metaphorical seatbelts, because we’re delving into advanced architecture territory, where only the bold dare to tread!

Meet the Cast: Model, View, and Update

In this gripping drama, the Model is the brainy one, holding all the core application state (definitely the type who’s got their life together). The View is the charming presence you interact with on the screen (think Casanova with pixels), while Update is the unsung hero orchestrating changes (the behind-the-scenes mastermind).

Why Angular Got Jealous

Don’t tell Angular, but MVU might just be the next big thing. It’s the architectural equivalent of that indie film you’ve been raving about that nobody else gets. Unlike its MVC friends, MVU aims for a more functional approach, promoting immutability and pure functions like they’re 2023’s hottest trends.

Unpacking the Love Triangle

This trio wouldn’t survive without some serious polyamorous architecture skills:

Model: Think of it as a data structure in a nice, stable relationship with functional programming. It’s immutable, meaning it doesn’t change — kind of like your high school sweetheart who never moved out of their hometown.
View: Shows the current state of the Model to the user, along with a dash of user interaction charm. Think dynamic templates that update faster than a Facebook relationship status post-breakup.
Update: The problem solver, updating the Model based on actions and forwarding the new state to the View. If this were a reality show, Update would definitely be the one doing confessionals.

Here’s a quick Node.js implementation sketch to illustrate MVU in action:

const initModel = { counter: 0 };

const view = (model) => `Counter: ${model.counter}`;

const update = (model, action) => {
  switch (action.type) {
    case 'INCREMENT':
      return { ...model, counter: model.counter + 1 };
    case 'DECREMENT':
      return { ...model, counter: model.counter - 1 };
    default:
      return model;
  }
};

// Let's perform some actions
let currentModel = initModel;
console.log(view(currentModel));

currentModel = update(currentModel, { type: 'INCREMENT' });
console.log(view(currentModel));

currentModel = update(currentModel, { type: 'DECREMENT' });
console.log(view(currentModel));

Advanced Tips for Expert Lovers of MVU

Embrace Immutability: Immutable data structures make reverting changes as easy as undoing a poor life decision — essential for state management.
Functional Purity: Keep functions pure in the Update step. Side-effects should be quarantined like last season’s flu.
Testability: MVU patterns are notoriously great for testing. You can test the update function separately, dramatically decreasing debugging meltdowns.
Be Wary of Complex Views: While MVU simplifies state management, overly complex views can still cause chaos. Balance is key, like a good bromance.

In Conclusion: Will They Live Happily Ever After?

Only time can tell if this architectural trio will stay together in the ever-evolving landscape of software development. But one thing’s for sure: following MVU principles is like set-and-forget bread baking — all the accuracy of a well-timed state change with little worry of burning down the house.

Join us next time for “Redux of the Sith: Revenge of the Event Loops,” where we’ll stir the pot with more architectural antics!