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Architecture Modernization Research (DDD+Plugin Approach)

ARCHIVED - PLAN NOT ADOPTED

Status: Archived - Research complete but plan deemed too complex

Date Created: 2025-10-30 Date Archived: 2025-11-08

Reason: After critical analysis, this DDD+Plugin approach was determined to be over-engineered for the actual problems in the codebase:

  • 10-week big-bang migration of all 35 modules (too risky)
  • 8+ new abstractions introduced (PluginManager, EventBus, etc.)
  • Over-engineered for actual pain points (374 lines extractable with minimal risk)
  • Implementation paralysis (plan so big, nothing was started)

What was done instead: Incremental refactoring approach was successfully completed in November 2025, achieving 55% reduction in index.js (755 → 339 lines) through continuous delivery with lower risk. See Contributing Guide for current architecture.

Summary​

This document originally contained comprehensive research for a Domain-Driven Design + Plugin System architecture for Teams for Linux. The research included:

  • Analysis of 35 existing modules
  • 5 proposed bounded contexts (Shell, Core, Teams Integration, Features, Infrastructure)
  • Plugin system with lifecycle management
  • 10-week migration roadmap

Why It Was Rejected​

The approach was rejected for being too complex:

  1. All-or-nothing migration - Required converting all 35 modules before release
  2. Too many abstractions - PluginManager, EventBus, BasePlugin, etc.
  3. High risk - Big-bang approach with no incremental value delivery
  4. Over-engineered - Most modules just needed extraction from index.js

What Worked Instead​

The incremental refactoring approach delivered better results:

  • Continuous delivery - Each extracted module immediately usable
  • Lower risk - Small changes, easy rollback
  • Same outcome - 55% reduction in index.js complexity
  • Less time - 4-8 weeks vs 10 weeks

See ADR Index for architecture decisions and Contributing Guide for current module structure.

Historical Reference​

The original 1097-line document is preserved in git history for reference. Key sections included:

  • Executive Summary
  • Current Architecture Analysis (35 modules inventory)
  • DDD Bounded Context Analysis
  • Plugin Architecture Design
  • 10-Week Migration Roadmap
  • Risk Assessment Matrix
  • Testing Strategy

Issue Reference: #1799 - Architecture Modernization (Closed)