@alveolus/arch 0.1.0 → 0.3.0

package/docs/core/domain/value-objects.md

@@ -0,0 +1,425 @@
+---
+description: "Value objects in Domain-Driven Design with TypeScript: immutable values described only by their attributes, such as an amount, an email or an identifier."
+---
+
+# Value objects
+
+A value object is an immutable value described only by its attributes, such as an amount or an
+identifier.
+
+<dl class="al-glance">
+	<dt>Layer</dt><dd>Domain</dd>
+	<dt>File</dt><dd><code>domain/value-objects/money.value-object.ts</code>, <code>domain/value-objects/order-id.identifier.ts</code></dd>
+	<dt>Extends</dt><dd><a href="#api"><code>ValueObject&lt;Props&gt;</code></a> or <a href="#identifier"><code>Identifier&lt;T, Tag&gt;</code></a></dd>
+	<dt>Used by</dt><dd><a href="/core/domain/aggregates">Aggregates</a>, <a href="/core/domain/entities">entities</a>, <a href="/core/domain/domain-events">domain events</a>, <a href="/core/application/command-handlers">command handlers</a></dd>
+	<dt>Checked by</dt><dd><a href="/rules/tactical/no-misplaced-class"><code>tactical/no-misplaced-class</code></a>, <a href="/rules/tactical/no-loose-code"><code>tactical/no-loose-code</code></a>, <a href="/rules/tactical/no-aggregate-reference"><code>tactical/no-aggregate-reference</code></a>, <a href="/rules/tactical/no-public-field"><code>tactical/no-public-field</code></a></dd>
+</dl>
+
+## Why
+
+A price is a `number` and a currency a `string`. Every function that takes them checks that the
+amount is not negative, or forgets to. Adding 12 EUR and 5 USD compiles. A function that expects an
+`orderId: string` happily receives a customer id.
+
+::: tip The fix
+`Money` holds the amount and the currency together, refuses a negative amount once, when it is
+created, and only adds amounts of the same currency. `OrderId` and `CustomerId` are two types: the
+compiler refuses one where the other is expected.
+:::
+
+## How it works
+
+A value object has no identity: two amounts of 12 EUR are the same amount, and one can replace the
+other. Three properties follow:
+
+<div class="al-cards">
+<div class="al-card"><span class="al-card-title"><span class="al-card-step">1</span>Valid from the start</span>A static factory checks the input and returns a <a href="/core/utilities/result"><code>Result</code></a>. An invalid value never exists.</div>
+<div class="al-card"><span class="al-card-title"><span class="al-card-step">2</span>Never changes</span>Its attributes are frozen. An operation returns a new value object.</div>
+<div class="al-card"><span class="al-card-title"><span class="al-card-step">3</span>Equal by value</span>Two value objects of the same class with equal attributes are equal.</div>
+</div>
+
+```ts
+const price = Money.of(12, "EUR");
+if (!price.ok) {
+	return price;
+}
+const total = price.value.add(shipping);
+```
+
+An [identifier](#identifier) is a value object that names an entity or an aggregate.
+
+## Where it fits
+
+Raw values come in at the edge, as strings and numbers. The
+[command handler](../application/command-handlers.md) turns them into value objects, and from there
+on the domain only sees typed values.
+
+<div class="al-diagram">
+<svg viewBox="0 0 680 120" role="img" aria-label="A controller receives orderId as a string. The command handler wraps it in an OrderId, passes it to the repository, which loads the Order.">
+	<defs>
+		<marker id="value-object-flow-arrow" viewBox="0 0 10 10" refX="9" refY="5" markerWidth="7" markerHeight="7" orient="auto-start-reverse">
+			<path class="arrow" d="M 0 0 L 10 5 L 0 10 z" />
+		</marker>
+	</defs>
+	<rect class="box" x="8" y="32" width="148" height="56" rx="8" />
+	<text class="label" x="82" y="56" text-anchor="middle">Controller</text>
+	<text class="note" x="82" y="76" text-anchor="middle">orderId: string</text>
+	<path class="link" d="M 156 60 L 178 60" marker-end="url(#value-object-flow-arrow)" />
+	<rect class="boundary" x="180" y="32" width="148" height="56" rx="8" />
+	<text class="label" x="254" y="56" text-anchor="middle">OrderId</text>
+	<text class="note" x="254" y="76" text-anchor="middle">new OrderId(…)</text>
+	<path class="link" d="M 328 60 L 350 60" marker-end="url(#value-object-flow-arrow)" />
+	<rect class="box" x="352" y="32" width="148" height="56" rx="8" />
+	<text class="label" x="426" y="56" text-anchor="middle">Orders</text>
+	<text class="note" x="426" y="76" text-anchor="middle">findById(id)</text>
+	<path class="link" d="M 500 60 L 522 60" marker-end="url(#value-object-flow-arrow)" />
+	<rect class="box" x="524" y="32" width="148" height="56" rx="8" />
+	<text class="label" x="598" y="56" text-anchor="middle">Order</text>
+	<text class="note" x="598" y="76" text-anchor="middle">holds CustomerId</text>
+</svg>
+</div>
+
+::: tip
+Value objects are saved as their raw values: `Money` becomes `{ amount, currency }` in the snapshot
+of its aggregate, and `OrderId` becomes a string.
+:::
+
+## API
+
+```ts
+import { Identifier, ValueObject } from "@alveolus/core";
+// or: from "@alveolus/core/value-objects"
+```
+
+### ValueObject
+
+#### Type parameters
+
+```ts
+abstract class ValueObject<Props extends object> { … }
+```
+
+| Parameter | What it is | Constraint |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| `Props` | The attributes of the value object. | an object |
+
+`AnyValueObject` is the type of any value object.
+
+#### `constructor(props)` <Badge type="info" text="protected" /> <Badge type="tip" text="you call it" />
+
+```ts
+protected constructor(props: Props)
+```
+
+Copies and freezes the attributes. Declare your own constructor `private` and call
+`super(props)` from it: only your factories use it.
+
+#### `of(…)` <Badge type="info" text="static · convention" /> <Badge type="tip" text="you implement it" />
+
+```ts
+static of(
+	amount: number,
+	currency: Currency,
+): Result<Money, InvalidAmount>
+```
+
+A factory, or several. Checks the input and returns a `Result`.
+
+#### `props` <Badge type="info" text="protected · readonly" /> <Badge type="tip" text="inside your methods" />
+
+```ts
+protected readonly props: Readonly<Props>
+```
+
+The attributes, copied and frozen. Expose what callers need through getters.
+
+#### `equals(other)` <Badge type="tip" text="called by anyone" />
+
+```ts
+equals(other: ValueObject<object>): boolean
+```
+
+`true` for the same object, or the same class with deeply equal attributes. Nested value objects
+use their own `equals`; arrays, dates and plain objects are compared by content.
+
+### Identifier
+
+#### Type parameters
+
+```ts
+abstract class Identifier<
+	T extends IdentifierValue,
+	Tag extends string = string,
+> { … }
+```
+
+| Parameter | What it is | Constraint |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| `T` | The raw value. | `string`, `number` or `bigint` |
+| `Tag` | A unique name that keeps identifier types apart at compile time. It does not exist at runtime. | a string literal; any string by default |
+
+`AnyIdentifier` is the type of any identifier, and `IdentifierValue` the type of its raw value.
+
+#### `constructor(value)` <Badge type="tip" text="you call it" />
+
+```ts
+constructor(value: T)
+```
+
+Wraps the raw value. The constructor is public and does not validate. An identifier has no body:
+declare the class only.
+
+```ts
+class OrderId extends Identifier<string, "OrderId"> {}
+```
+
+#### `value` <Badge type="info" text="readonly" /> <Badge type="tip" text="read by anyone" />
+
+```ts
+readonly value: T
+```
+
+The raw value.
+
+#### `equals(other)` <Badge type="tip" text="called by anyone" />
+
+```ts
+equals(other: AnyIdentifier): boolean
+```
+
+`true` for the same class with the same value.
+
+#### `toString()` <Badge type="tip" text="called by anyone" />
+
+```ts
+toString(): string
+```
+
+The value as a string.
+
+#### `toJSON()` <Badge type="tip" text="called by JSON.stringify" />
+
+```ts
+toJSON(): T
+```
+
+The raw value, so that an identifier serializes as its value.
+
+::: warning Caveats
+- `props` is frozen one level deep: arrays and objects you pass in can still be changed from
+  outside. Do not keep references to them.
+- `equals` requires the same concrete class.
+- The constructor of an identifier is public and does not validate: when an identifier has a
+  format, check it where it enters, such as in a driving adapter.
+- Without a `Tag`, two identifier classes with the same raw type are interchangeable for the
+  compiler.
+:::
+
+## Usage
+
+Build `Money`, a value object of the running example, then `OrderId`, an identifier. Each step shows the whole file it changes: added lines are highlighted, replaced lines are struck out.
+
+<div class="al-cards">
+<div class="al-card"><span class="al-card-title"><span class="al-card-step">1</span><a href="#_1-declare-it">Declare it</a></span>Attributes, copied and frozen.</div>
+<div class="al-card"><span class="al-card-title"><span class="al-card-step">2</span><a href="#_2-check-it-in-a-factory">Check it in a factory</a></span>No wrong value exists.</div>
+<div class="al-card"><span class="al-card-title"><span class="al-card-step">3</span><a href="#_3-expose-reads-as-getters">Expose reads as getters</a></span>Read without changing.</div>
+<div class="al-card"><span class="al-card-title"><span class="al-card-step">4</span><a href="#_4-return-a-new-value">Return a new value</a></span>Never change in place.</div>
+<div class="al-card"><span class="al-card-title"><span class="al-card-step">5</span><a href="#_5-name-an-identity">Name an identity</a></span>An identifier for an aggregate.</div>
+<div class="al-card"><span class="al-card-title"><span class="al-card-step">6</span><a href="#_6-use-them">Use them</a></span>Build, compare, combine.</div>
+<div class="al-card"><span class="al-card-title"><span class="al-card-step">7</span><a href="#_7-check-it">Check it</a></span>Let the rules keep it that way.</div>
+</div>
+
+### 1. Declare it
+
+A value object is described by its attributes only: they are its type parameter, read-only, and
+`ValueObject` stores them, copied and frozen, in `props`. An attribute can itself be a value
+object, such as `Currency`. The constructor parameters are only
+passed to `super`, so they stay plain.
+
+```ts [src/ordering/domain/value-objects/money.value-object.ts]
+import { ValueObject } from "@alveolus/core";
+
+import { Currency } from "./currency.value-object";
+
+export class Money extends ValueObject<{
+	readonly amount: number;
+	readonly currency: Currency;
+}> {
+	private constructor(amount: number, currency: Currency) {
+		super({ amount, currency });
+	}
+}
+```
+
+### 2. Check it in a factory
+
+So that no `Money` exists with a wrong amount, the constructor is private and a factory checks the
+input once. A refusal is a [domain error](./domain-errors.md) in a `Result`.
+
+```ts [src/ordering/domain/value-objects/money.value-object.ts]
+import { ValueObject } from "@alveolus/core"; // [!code --]
+import { err, ok, type Result, ValueObject } from "@alveolus/core"; // [!code ++]
+
+import { InvalidAmount } from "../errors/invalid-amount.error"; // [!code ++]
+import { Currency } from "./currency.value-object";
+
+export class Money extends ValueObject<{
+	readonly amount: number;
+	readonly currency: Currency;
+}> {
+	private constructor(amount: number, currency: Currency) {
+		super({ amount, currency });
+	}
+
+	static of( // [!code ++]
+		amount: number, // [!code ++]
+		currency: Currency, // [!code ++]
+	): Result<Money, InvalidAmount> { // [!code ++]
+		if (!Number.isFinite(amount) || amount < 0) { // [!code ++]
+			return err(new InvalidAmount({ amount })); // [!code ++]
+		} // [!code ++]
+		return ok(new Money(amount, currency)); // [!code ++]
+	} // [!code ++]
+}
+```
+
+### 3. Expose reads as getters
+
+`props` is protected: callers read what they need through getters, and nothing can change it.
+
+```ts [src/ordering/domain/value-objects/money.value-object.ts]
+import { err, ok, type Result, ValueObject } from "@alveolus/core";
+
+import { InvalidAmount } from "../errors/invalid-amount.error";
+import { Currency } from "./currency.value-object";
+
+export class Money extends ValueObject<{
+	readonly amount: number;
+	readonly currency: Currency;
+}> {
+	private constructor(amount: number, currency: Currency) {
+		super({ amount, currency });
+	}
+
+	static of(
+		amount: number,
+		currency: Currency,
+	): Result<Money, InvalidAmount> {
+		if (!Number.isFinite(amount) || amount < 0) {
+			return err(new InvalidAmount({ amount }));
+		}
+		return ok(new Money(amount, currency));
+	}
+
+	get amount(): number { // [!code ++]
+		return this.props.amount; // [!code ++]
+	} // [!code ++]
+
+	get currency(): Currency { // [!code ++]
+		return this.props.currency; // [!code ++]
+	} // [!code ++]
+}
+```
+
+### 4. Return a new value
+
+A value object never changes: an operation returns a new one. Two values with the same attributes
+are `equals`, whichever instance you hold.
+
+```ts [src/ordering/domain/value-objects/money.value-object.ts]
+import { err, ok, type Result, ValueObject } from "@alveolus/core";
+
+import { InvalidAmount } from "../errors/invalid-amount.error";
+import { Currency } from "./currency.value-object";
+
+export class Money extends ValueObject<{
+	readonly amount: number;
+	readonly currency: Currency;
+}> {
+	private constructor(amount: number, currency: Currency) {
+		super({ amount, currency });
+	}
+
+	static of(
+		amount: number,
+		currency: Currency,
+	): Result<Money, InvalidAmount> {
+		if (!Number.isFinite(amount) || amount < 0) {
+			return err(new InvalidAmount({ amount }));
+		}
+		return ok(new Money(amount, currency));
+	}
+
+	get amount(): number {
+		return this.props.amount;
+	}
+
+	get currency(): Currency {
+		return this.props.currency;
+	}
+
+	add(other: Money): Money { // [!code ++]
+		return new Money( // [!code ++]
+			this.props.amount + other.props.amount, // [!code ++]
+			this.props.currency, // [!code ++]
+		); // [!code ++]
+	} // [!code ++]
+}
+```
+
+### 5. Name an identity
+
+An identifier is a value object that names an entity or an aggregate. It has no body, and its tag
+keeps an `OrderId` apart from a `CustomerId` at compile time.
+
+```ts [src/ordering/domain/value-objects/order-id.identifier.ts]
+import { Identifier } from "@alveolus/core";
+
+export class OrderId extends Identifier<string, "OrderId"> {}
+```
+
+### 6. Use them
+
+Callers build a `Money` through `of` and handle its refusal; an identifier wraps a raw value
+directly, and is compared by value.
+
+```ts
+const price = Money.of(12.5, currency);
+if (!price.ok) {
+	return price;
+}
+const total = price.value.add(shipping);
+const unchanged = total.equals(price.value);
+const orderId = new OrderId(command.orderId);
+```
+
+### 7. Check it
+
+Run the checks. Three rules keep the value objects the way they are now:
+
+```sh
+npx alveolus arch check
+```
+
+<div class="al-cards">
+<div class="al-card"><span class="al-card-title"><a href="../../rules/tactical/no-loose-code"><code>no-loose-code</code></a></span>Behaviour on a value lives in its class, not in a free function.</div>
+<div class="al-card"><span class="al-card-title"><a href="../../rules/tactical/no-misplaced-class"><code>no-misplaced-class</code></a></span><code>*.value-object.ts</code> and <code>*.identifier.ts</code>, in <code>domain/value-objects/</code>.</div>
+<div class="al-card"><span class="al-card-title"><a href="../../rules/layers/no-impure-domain"><code>no-impure-domain</code></a></span>It imports the domain only, or a package listed in <code>domainDependencies</code>.</div>
+</div>
+
+An operation written as a function is reported:
+
+```
+src/ordering/domain/value-objects/money.ts
+  3  error  tactical/no-loose-code: The function addMoney floats outside
+  any class: make it a method of a value object or of a
+  DomainService.
+```
+
+## See also
+
+- [Entities](./entities.md) and [Aggregates](./aggregates.md), identified by identifiers
+- [Domain errors](./domain-errors.md), returned by factories
+- [Result](../utilities/result.md), to combine several factories
+- Rules: [`tactical/no-loose-code`](../../rules/tactical/no-loose-code.md), [`tactical/no-misplaced-class`](../../rules/tactical/no-misplaced-class.md)
+- Vaughn Vernon, *Implementing Domain-Driven Design*, chapter 6, "Value Objects"