Model–view–viewmodel (MVVM) is a software architectural pattern that facilitates the separation of the development of the graphical user interface (the view) – be it via a markup language or GUI code – from the development of the business logic or back-end logic (the model) so that the view is not dependent on any specific model platform.
The viewmodel of MVVM is a value converter, meaning the viewmodel is responsible for exposing (converting) the data objects from the model in such a way that objects are easily managed and presented. In this respect, the viewmodel is more model than view, and handles most if not all of the view’s display logic. The viewmodel may implement a mediator pattern, organizing access to the back-end logic around the set of use cases supported by the view.
MVVM was invented by Microsoft architects Ken Cooper and Ted Peters specifically to simplify event-driven programming of user interfaces. The pattern was incorporated into Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) (Microsoft’s .NET graphics system) and Silverlight (WPF’s Internet application derivative).
Like many other design patterns, MVVM helps organize code and break programs into modules to make development, updating and reuse of code simpler and faster. The pattern is often used in Windows and web graphics presentation software.
The separation of the code in MVVM is divided into View, ViewModel and Model:
- View is the collection of visible elements, which also receives user input. This includes user interfaces (UI), animations and text. The content of View is not interacted with directly to change what is presented.
- ViewModel is located between the View and Model layers. This is where the controls for interacting with View are housed, while binding is used to connect the UI elements in View to the controls in ViewModel.
- Model houses the logic for the program, which is retrieved by the ViewModel upon its own receipt of input from the user through View.
Features
- Life Cycle state of Application will be maintained.
- The application will be in the same position as where the user left it.
- UI Components are kept away from Business Logic.
- Business Logic is kept away from Database operations.
- Easy to understand and read.
Advantages
- Maintainability – Can remain agile and keep releasing successive versions quickly.
- Extensibility – Have the ability to replace or add new pieces of code.
- Testability – Easier to write unit tests against core logic.
- Transparent Communication – The view model provides a transparent interface to the view controller, which it uses to populate the view layer and interact with the model layer, which results in a transparent communication between the layers of your application.
Disadvantages
- Some people think that for simple UIs, MVVM can be overkill.
- In bigger cases, it can be hard to design the ViewModel.
- Debugging would be a bit difficult when we have complex data bindings.
From Server, Get Data(available in Model Objects), View Model reads Model Objects and then facilitates the easy presentation of data on the view.
