The .NET Architecture Pattern That Looks Professional but Scales Like Trash
In the world of .NET development, some architectural patterns look incredibly clean on the surface. They impress in code reviews, align with textbook principles, and give off a “senior engineer designed this” vibe. But under real-world pressure? They collapse. Let’s talk about one of the biggest offenders. The Problem: Over-Engineered Layered Architecture You’ve seen it: Controller → Service → Repository → Unit of Work → Generic Repository → DbContext t first glance, it feels enterprise-grade. Every concern is separated. Everything is abstracted. But here’s the truth: This pattern often scales poorly in real applications. Why It Fails at Scale 1. Too Many Abstractions = Slower Development Every small change requires touching multiple layers. Add a field? Update DTO, Service, Repository, Interface… Change logic? Trace through 4–5 layers This creates friction, not flexibility. 2. Generic Repositories Kill Performance Control The classic IGenericRepository<T> sounds reusable—bu...