A bounded context is a boundary within which a particular domain model is defined and applicable. Inside the boundary, terms have one meaning; across boundaries, the same word may mean something different.
Practices
- Own your models. Each context publishes explicit contracts to neighbors.
- Resist the shared database anti-pattern; duplicate read models when integration is cheaper than coupling.
- Draw context maps early; they age better than sprawling entity diagrams.
Integration styles
Contexts can integrate via events, APIs, or shared kernels, but the default should be the loosest coupling that meets the business need.