Domain-specific protocol

Intent

Define a protocol/schema that models domain concepts explicitly (instead of “generic” messages) to reduce ambiguity and drift.

Use when

• You have multiple services interacting in a domain and want stable, explicit semantics.
• Generic protocols create accidental coupling or confusion (fields mean different things to different teams).

Avoid / watch-outs

• Version deliberately; avoid breaking consumers with incompatible schema changes.
• Keep the protocol tied to a bounded context; don’t force one model across all contexts.

Skill mapping

• spec: contracts, versioning rules, and compatibility expectations.
• architecture: bounded contexts and translations (anti-corruption layers where needed).
• testing: contract tests and schema-compatibility checks where available.