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MVP MVC MVVM compared

MVVM, MVP, and MVC are all architectural patterns used in software development, particularly for building user interfaces. While they share similarities, they differ in how they separate the concerns and handle the interactions between components. Here’s a comparison of MVVM, MVP, and MVC:

  1. MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel): MVVM divides an application into three main components:
  • Model: Represents the data and business logic of the application.
  • View: Handles the user interface and presentation logic. It displays the data to the user and captures user interactions.
  • ViewModel: Acts as an intermediary between the Model and the View. It exposes data and commands required by the View and provides the necessary logic to format and manipulate the data for presentation.

MVVM differs from MVP and MVC in the following ways:

  • Data Binding: MVVM heavily relies on data binding, which establishes a connection between the View and ViewModel. This enables automatic synchronization of data changes between the two components.
  • Testability: MVVM allows for easier unit testing of the ViewModel, as it can be tested independently of the View by providing test data.
  • Dependency Injection: MVVM often incorporates dependency injection to provide loose coupling between components.
  • Separation of Concerns: MVVM emphasizes the separation of the UI logic (ViewModel) from the View, similar to MVP. However, MVVM takes it a step further by introducing data binding and promoting a more declarative approach to UI development.
  1. MVP (Model-View-Presenter): MVP divides an application into three main components:
  • Model: Represents the data and business logic of the application.
  • View: Handles the user interface and presentation logic. It displays the data to the user and captures user interactions.
  • Presenter: Acts as the mediator between the Model and the View. It retrieves data from the Model and formats it for the View. It also receives user input from the View and updates the Model accordingly.

Key differences between MVP and MVVM:

  • Data Binding: MVP typically does not have built-in data binding capabilities like MVVM. The Presenter explicitly updates the View and synchronizes data between the Model and the View.
  • View-Model Interaction: In MVVM, the ViewModel directly interacts with the View through data binding, whereas in MVP, the Presenter explicitly updates the View and handles user interactions.
  • Testability: Both MVP and MVVM offer good testability, but MVVM’s data binding can make it easier to test the ViewModel in isolation.
  1. MVC (Model-View-Controller): MVC divides an application into three main components:
  • Model: Represents the data and business logic of the application.
  • View: Handles the user interface and presentation logic. It displays the data to the user and captures user interactions.
  • Controller: Acts as the mediator between the Model and the View. It receives user input from the View, processes it, and updates the Model accordingly. It also updates the View with the latest data from the Model.

Key differences between MVC and MVVM/MVP:

  • View-Model Interaction: Unlike MVVM and MVP, where the ViewModel/Presenter interacts with the View, in MVC, the Controller interacts with both the Model and the View.
  • Direct Model-View Interaction: In MVC, the View can directly access the Model to retrieve data for presentation purposes.
  • Testability: Similar to MVVM and MVP, MVC offers good testability, but the direct interaction between the View and the Model can make it slightly more challenging to isolate and test components.

source chatGPT