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Data, context and interaction
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<p>Data, context, and interaction (DCI) is a paradigm used in computer software to program systems of communicating <a href="/facts/Object_(computer_science)/eX99dtAw">objects</a>. Its goals are: </p> <ul><li>To improve the readability of <a href="/facts/Object-oriented_programming/TxNMEcao">object-oriented</a> code by giving system behavior first-class status;</li> <li>To cleanly separate code for rapidly changing system behavior (what a system <i>does</i>) versus slowly changing <a href="/facts/Domain_knowledge/cbEFRF9v">domain knowledge</a> (what a system <i>is</i>), instead of combining both in one class interface;</li> <li>To help software developers reason about system-level state and behavior instead of only object state and behavior;</li> <li>To support an object style of thinking that is close to programmers' mental models, rather than the class style of thinking that overshadowed object thinking early in the history of object-oriented programming languages.</li></ul> <p>The paradigm separates the <a href="/facts/Domain_model/rSxm7s5a">domain model</a> (data) from <a href="/facts/Use_case/8pNHjsIr">use cases</a> (context) and Roles that <a href="/facts/Object_(computer_science)/eX99dtAw">objects</a> play (interaction). DCI is complementary to <a href="/facts/Model%25E2%2580%2593view%25E2%2580%2593controller/vRbMXjMm">model–view–controller</a> (MVC). MVC as a <a href="/facts/Pattern_language/U0Xbp7nx">pattern language</a> is still used to separate the data and its processing from presentation. </p>