Anemic Domain Model

Kind: anti-pattern

Layer: Enforcement Core

Aliases: Anemic Model

Record: architecture:anemic-domain-model

Severity: discouraged

Scope: modularity, contract_compatibility, semantic_consistency, model_governance, domain_boundary

Formed by: Store domain data in passive objects while business rules live in services, controllers, handlers, or scripts.

Canonical: Ontology

A defect in which domain objects hold data only, while their rules live in services and handlers.

Listed in Architecture principles, after Null Semantics Drift and before Transaction Script Sprawl.

Refactored by

• Move Logic to the Domain
• Value Object
• Add Aggregate Invariant
• Encapsulate State

Severity

• discouraged

Category

• Anti-patterns

Force

• Contract compatibility
• Domain boundary
• Model governance
• Modularity
• Semantic consistency

Violates

• Domain-Driven Design
• Domain Model
• Aggregate

Negated by

• Domain Model
• Aggregate
• Entity

Linked from

• Seven controls, seven classes
• Anti-patterns
• Domain Architecture
• Core Modular Design
• Domain Architecture
• Severity levels
• The forces