Why Most Developers Misunderstand Clean Architecture

#cleanarchitecture #architecture #systemdesign #softwareengineering

For many, Clean Architecture is just a checklist:

A controller layer
A service layer
A repository for the database

And they think they're done.
But that's only the surface.

Common Mistakes I've Observed

Misunderstanding dependency inversion
Core classes still depend on the database or framework, while the rule
says everything should depend on business logic.

Ignoring context
Developers add ten layers for a simple CRUD app --- resulting in
over-engineering and unnecessary ceremony.

Forgetting business goals
Teams build architecture for engineering ego, not for solving real
problems.

What Real Clean Architecture Looks Like

The core runs even without a database or framework.
Tests execute fast, directly on the domain logic.
Switching frameworks or databases doesn't break the system.

From my experience, the cleanest projects had the fewest layers, but
applied the Dependency Rule and DIP correctly.