What is MVC?
MVC, short for Model, View, and Controller, is a methodology or architectural pattern used for efficiently relating the user interface to underlying data models and organizing to relate the application code. MVC is primarily used to separate an application into three main components: Model, View, and Controller.
Three Levels Of MVC Model :
1. Model –
This level is considered the lowest level when compared with the View and Controller. It primarily represents the data to the user and defines the storage of all the application’s data objects.
It also contains the application logic.
2. Views –
This level is majorly associated with the User Interface(UI) and it is used to provide the visual representation of the MVC model. In simpler terms, this level deals with displaying the actual output to the user. It also handles the communication between the user (inputs, requests, etc.) and the controller.
3. Controller –
This level takes care of the request handler. The controller completes the cycle of taking the user output, converting it into desired messages.
Benefits of using MVC :
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Organizes large-size web applications –
As there is segregation of the code among the three levels, it becomes extremely easy to divide and organize web application logic into large-scale applications (which are required to be managed by large teams of developers). The major advantage of using such code practices is that it helps to find specific portions of code quickly and allows the addition of new functionality with ease.
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Supports Asynchronous Method Invocation (AMI) –
Since the MVC architecture works well with JavaScript and its frameworks, it is no surprise that it also supports the use of Asynchronous Method Invocation (AMI), allowing developers to build faster loading web applications. It means that MVC applications can be made to work even with PDF files, site-specific browsers, and also for desktop widgets.
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Easily Modifiable –
Using the MVC methodology allows easy modification of the entire application. Adding/updating the new type of views is simplified in the MVC pattern (as a single section is independent of the other sections). So, any changes in a certain section of the application will never affect the entire architecture. This, in turn, will help to increase the flexibility and scalability of the application.
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Faster Development Process –
As there is segregation of the code among the three levels, developing web applications using the MVC model allows one developer to work on a particular section (say, the view) while another can work on any other section (say, the controller) simultaneously. This allows for easy implementation of business logic as well as helps to accelerate the development process fourfold. It has been observed that when compared to other development models, the MVC model ends up showing higher development speeds (up to three times).
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Easy planning and maintenance –
The MVC paradigm is helpful during the initial planning phase of the application because it gives the developer an outline of how to arrange their ideas into actual code. It is also a great tool to help limit code duplication, and allow easy maintenance of the application.
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Returns data without formatting –
By returning un-formatted data, the MVC framework empowers you to create your own view engine. For example, any type of data can be formatted using HTML, but with the MVC framework, you can also format the data using the Macromedia Flash or Dream viewer. It is helpful for the developers because the same components can be re-used with any interface.
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Supports TTD (test-driven development) –
A major advantage of the MVC pattern is that it simplifies the testing process by a great deal. It makes it easier to debug large-scale applications as multiple levels are structurally defined and properly written in the application. Thus making it trouble-free to develop an application with unit tests.
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Multiple Views –
In the MVC architecture, developing different view components for your model component is easily achievable. It empowers you to develop different view components, thus limiting code duplication as it separates data and business logic.
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SEO-Friendly Platform –
The MVC platform hugely supports the development of SEO-friendly web applications. To generate more visits from a particular application, MVC provides an easy way out to develop SEO-friendly RESTful URLs.
Thus, the MVC design pattern is a great approach for developing web applications. Today, there are several enterprises opting for the development of such applications based on the MVC architecture.