Structure-independent

Structure-independent describes a concept, method, or system that functions or applies regardless of the specific internal architecture or physical arrangement of its components. It emphasizes the separation of concerns, focusing on the external interface and behavior rather than the internal workings. This characteristic allows for flexibility, portability, and scalability, as the underlying structure can be modified or replaced without affecting the system's overall functionality. Being structure-independent promotes modularity, enabling the integration of various components without intricate dependencies on their internal structures. Such a system ensures that changes to the implementation details do not necessitate modifications to the external user interface or the logic using the system, boosting resilience and promoting maintainability. The focus is on the 'what' rather than the 'how'.

Structure-independent meaning with examples

• The API for accessing the database is designed to be structure-independent. This means the client applications don't need to know whether the data is stored in a relational database, a NoSQL database, or even a file system; the API provides a uniform way to interact with the data regardless.
• A communication protocol, such as HTTP, can be considered structure-independent. It defines the rules for data exchange without specifying the internal design of the web server or client. This independence enables various implementations to interoperate seamlessly, regardless of internal structure.
• Microservices architectures promote structure-independent components. Each service operates independently, exposing an API that allows other services to interact with it without requiring knowledge of its internal data structures or processing logic.
• In object-oriented programming, a well-defined interface for a class is structure-independent. The interface defines the methods a user can call, while the internal implementation details, such as data representation and specific algorithms, can change without affecting the user's code.
• An algorithm for calculating the shortest path between two nodes in a graph is structure-independent. The algorithm works regardless of how the graph data is stored, whether using adjacency lists or an adjacency matrix. The core logic remains the same.