Clean Architecture vs Modular Monolith with DDD
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A starter template for building ASP.NET Core apps using the Clean Architecture pattern.
Open source · MIT
A sample .NET application showing a modular monolith built with Domain-Driven Design, meant as a reference imp
The short answer
Choose Clean Architecture if you need…
- C# developers starting a new ASP.NET Core project who want a structured layout
- Developers learning Clean Architecture or domain-driven design with a working example
- Teams that want a shared starting structure for backend services
- Developers who want to choose between a full and a minimal template
Choose Modular Monolith with DDD if you need…
- Developers learning Domain-Driven Design tactical patterns in C#
- Teams comparing modular monolith structure against microservices
- Engineers wanting to see CQRS and unit and integration tests applied together
- Students studying architecture decisions in a realistic codebase
Side-by-side
| Clean Architecture | Modular Monolith with DDD | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Framework | Learning resource |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 18.5k | 14.1k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Advanced |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Clone and build from source |
| Main language | C# | C# |
| Last code update | 46 days ago | 2 years ago |
What each one is
Clean Architecture
This is a Visual Studio and dotnet CLI project template that gives you a pre-organized ASP.NET Core solution split into layers such as Core, Use Cases, Infrastructure and Web. It is meant as a starting point so you do not have to design that structure from scratch. The README describes it as a template for Clean Architecture, which is also called hexagonal, ports-and-adapters, or onion architecture.
Modular Monolith with DDD
This is a complete example application written in C# for .NET, organized as a modular monolith: one deployable program split into separate modules with clear boundaries. It applies Domain-Driven Design, a way of structuring code around the business domain, and uses a Meeting Groups domain modeled on Meetup.com. The README says its purpose is to show these architectural ideas in a full, production-oriented implementation rather than a small demo.
Best for
Clean Architecture
- C# developers starting a new ASP.NET Core project who want a structured layout
- Developers learning Clean Architecture or domain-driven design with a working example
- Teams that want a shared starting structure for backend services
- Developers who want to choose between a full and a minimal template
Modular Monolith with DDD
- Developers learning Domain-Driven Design tactical patterns in C#
- Teams comparing modular monolith structure against microservices
- Engineers wanting to see CQRS and unit and integration tests applied together
- Students studying architecture decisions in a realistic codebase
Strengths
Clean Architecture
- Widely starred and actively maintained, with recent pushes and a current .NET version
- Offers both a full and a minimal template so you can pick the level of structure you need
- Comes with an MIT license and documentation site with migration guides
Modular Monolith with DDD
- The README describes it as a full application with features like authentication and tests, not a toy example
- Documents architecture decisions, C4 diagrams, and testing approaches in detail
- Open source under the MIT license with a large community following
Not ideal for
Clean Architecture
- Developers who are new to C# or .NET, since the template assumes familiarity with the stack
- Projects that must use a different language or framework, since this is specific to ASP.NET Core
- Anyone looking for a finished application rather than a starting point to build on
Modular Monolith with DDD
- Readers who want a quick, minimal starter project, since the README says it is intentionally a full application and not a simple one
- Anyone needing a deployment guide, since the README lists deployment and infrastructure as out of scope
- Teams looking for strategic DDD guidance, since the README explicitly excludes strategic patterns
Trade-offs
Clean Architecture
- The README is truncated here, so detailed setup steps could not be fully verified
- Clean Architecture adds layers that may be more structure than a small project needs
- The README notes the main branch targets .NET 9 while the description references ASP.NET Core 10, so check which version matches your needs
Modular Monolith with DDD
- The README says deployment, containerization, and infrastructure are out of scope, so you will need to work those out yourself
- The README states it reflects one of many valid approaches, so it should not be treated as the only correct design
- The last push in the metadata is from June 2024, so check whether it still fits your current .NET version
Getting started
Clean Architecture
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/ardalis/CleanArchitectureModular Monolith with DDD
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/kgrzybek/modular-monolith-with-dddFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Clean Architecture and Modular Monolith with DDD?
Clean Architecture: A starter template for building ASP.NET Core apps using the Clean Architecture pattern. Modular Monolith with DDD: A sample .NET application showing a modular monolith built with Domain-Driven Design, meant as a reference imp. Clean Architecture suits c# developers starting a new asp.net core project who want a structured layout, while Modular Monolith with DDD suits developers learning domain-driven design tactical patterns in c#.
Are Clean Architecture and Modular Monolith with DDD free?
Clean Architecture: Free and open source. Modular Monolith with DDD: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Clean Architecture or Modular Monolith with DDD?
Clean Architecture is easier to get started with (rated intermediate); Modular Monolith with DDD is rated advanced and usually needs more setup.
Is Clean Architecture or Modular Monolith with DDD more popular?
Clean Architecture has more GitHub stars (18.5k) than Modular Monolith with DDD (14.1k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Clean Architecture and Modular Monolith with DDD?
Other options people compare them with include Clean Architecture Solution Template, ASP.NET Boilerplate.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.