Open Host Service

Typically for each bounded context you will define a translation layer for each component with which you have to integrate that is outside the context map. Where integration is one-off, this approach of inserting a translation layer for each external system avoids corruption of the models with a minimum of cost. But when you find your subsystem in high demand, you may need a more flexible approach.

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When a subsystem has to be integrated with many others, customizing a translator for each can bog down the team. There is more and more to maintain, and more and more to worry about when changes are made.

Therefore:

Define a protocol that gives access to your subsystem as a set of services. Open the protocol so that all who need to integrate with you can use it. Enhance and expand the protocol to handle new integration requirements, except when a single team has idiosyncratic needs. Then, use a one-off translator to augment the protocol for that special case so that the shared protocol can stay simple and coherent.