event-driven architecture

noun
UK /ɪˈvɛnt ˈdrɪvən ˈɑːkɪtɛktʃə/
US /ɪˈvɛnt ˈdrɪvən ˈɑːrkɪtɛktʃər/

A way of building computer programs where things happen when an event, like a click or a message, tells them to.

The app uses event-driven architecture so it only updates the screen when a new message arrives.

SYNONYMS

event-based architecturemessage-driven architecturereactive architecturepublish-subscribe architecture

RELATED WORDS

eventmessage queuelistenerbrokerasynchronous

OTHER MEANINGS

2. A software design style where parts of a system react to changes instead of following a fixed step-by-step plan.

With event-driven architecture, the payment service reacts to an order event without being called directly.

3. A system structure where producers send events and consumers handle them without knowing each other.

The warehouse system and the billing system talk through event-driven architecture, so neither needs the other's address.

4. An approach in which events are recorded and processed later, often for scaling or auditing.

They chose event-driven architecture to keep a log of every user action for later analysis.