Breaking the Monolith Mindset: Hexagonal Architecture vs Traditional Layers in Java

Traditional layered architectures (controllers, services, repositories) have been the default choice for many Java applications. While simple to start with, they often lead to tightly coupled code, difficult testing, and limited flexibility as systems grow. Hexagonal Architecture (a.k.a. Ports and Adapters) offers an alternative—one that places business logic at the center and decouples it from external concerns.

What you’ll learn:

🔹Key differences between traditional layered architecture and hexagonal architecture 🔹Why hexagonal promotes cleaner boundaries and domain-driven design 🔹Practical benefits: easier testing, maintainability, and adaptability to change 🔹Common pitfalls when migrating from layered to hexagonal 🔹Real-world scenarios where hexagonal shines (and when traditional still works) 🔹Hands-on Java examples to illustrate both approaches

By the end, you’ll understand how to evaluate when to stick with a layered approach and when adopting hexagonal can future-proof your Java applications.