Commented Literature and Online Sources for DDD

This list provides a (subjective) list of articles, books, and online sources for DDD.

The Core Books
The “Big Picture” for applying DDD
- Annegret Junker (2025). Mastering Domain-Driven Design: Collaborative modeling with domain storytelling, event storming, and context mapping, BPB Publications
- DDD Crew (2023a). Domain-Driven Design Starter Modelling Process
Using DDD in the Design Process: Specific Concepts and Methods
EventStorming
Architecture Modelling with C4

The Core Books

These are the core books for DDD. If you are into this design approach, you should own them.

Evans, E. (2003). Domain-Driven Design: Tackling Complexity in the Heart of Software (1 edition), Addison-Wesley

The quintessential DDD book, which got it all started
… also called the “blue book”
Not an easy read, but necessary to understand the core thinking behind DDD
To my knowledge not available in a digital format (at least not legally)

The canonical source for DDD is Eric Evans’s book. It isn’t the easiest read in the software literature, but it’s one of those books that amply repays a substantial investment.

Fowler, 2014

Vernon, V. (2013). Implementing Domain-Driven Design (01 ed.), Addison Wesley

… also called the “red book”.
A great companion to the “blue book”, since it clarifies aspects not sufficiently explained in the “blue book”, like aggregates and domain events
Somewhat closer to an implementation of DDD concept, although still in quite abstract way - which is good since it aged relatively well (2013)
Available as an affordable eBook (epub), although (alas) not in our TH Köln library

Vernon, V. (2016). Domain-Driven Design Distilled (1st ed.), Addison-Wesley

… the lesser known “green book”
Essentially a condensed version of the “red book”
Also available as an even more affordable eBook (epub) - and no, I don’t earn any money by this link -, but not in our TH Köln library

The “Big Picture” for applying DDD

DDD, as in the books of Evans and Vernon, is a consistent set of concepts and terms, but it does not prescribe a specific process for arriving at a DDD-conformous design. The sources below try to fill that gap. There are not many books and other sources that explain how to apply DDD in a systematic way. The following sources are my personal selections (no guarantee on completeness), and the ones I use in my DDD course.

Annegret Junker (2025). Mastering Domain-Driven Design: Collaborative modeling with domain storytelling, event storming, and context mapping, BPB Publications

Covering the whole design process using DDD, from a practicioner’s perspective

DDD Crew (2023a). Domain-Driven Design Starter Modelling Process

https://github.com/ddd-crew/ddd-starter-modelling-process
Great process framework for DDD modelling and implementation
See dedicated infopage for more details

Using DDD in the Design Process: Specific Concepts and Methods

Other than the in the previous section, the following sources focus on specific concepts and methods for using DDD in the design process.

Bounded Contexts

Fowler, M. (2014). Bounded Context, martinfowler.com

https://martinfowler.com/bliki/BoundedContext.html
A great introduction to the concept of bounded contexts and context maps, in the usual “Fowler manner”
Sums up the idea of bounded contexts, and their depiction in context maps, in a very compact and concise way

Samokhin, V. (2018). DDD Strategic Patterns: How to Define Bounded Contexts. DZone Microservices, dzone.com

https://dzone.com/articles/ddd-strategic-patterns-how-to-define-bounded-conte
An alternative explanation of bounded contexts, and how they relate to (sub-)domains

Core Domain Charts

DDD Crew (2023b). Core Domain Charts

https://github.com/ddd-crew/core-domain-charts
Usage of Core Domain Charts as part of the DDD Starter Modelling Process
It is used for prioriting (sub-)domains by categorizing them into core, supporting, and generic domains

Tune, N. (2020). Core Domain Patterns. Strategy, Architecture, Continuous Delivery, and DDD

https://medium.com/nick-tune-tech-strategy-blog/core-domain-patterns-941f89446af5
In-depth explanation of how to categorize (sub-)domains into core, supporting, and generic domains
See also glossary entry for these terms for more details
There is also a method to put this on a chart, as part of the DDD Starter model

Domain Message Flow Modelling

DDD Crew (2023c). Domain Message Flow Modelling

https://github.com/ddd-crew/domain-message-flow-modelling
Part of the DDD Starter Modelling Process
It is a notation that allows you to depict data / control flow in between bounded contexts and (external) systems
See method description in dedicated infopage

Bounded Context Canvas

DDD Crew (2023d). Bounded Context Canvas

https://github.com/ddd-crew/bounded-context-canvas
Part of the DDD Starter Modelling Process
It is a compact notation, summarizing the constituents of a bounded context
See method description in dedicated infopage

Context Map

Bente, S. (2022). Context Map

Summary of Context Maps
(Download PDF)
Still in German, as I haven’t translated it yet.

Esposito, D., & Saltarello, A. (2014). Discovering the Domain Architecture

In: Microsoft .NET - Architecting Applications for the Enterprise (2nd edition). Microsoft Press.
https://www.microsoftpressstore.com/articles/article.aspx?p=2248811&seqNum=3
An alternative domain example, and a different way of depicting a context map

Plöd, M. (2020). Visualizing sociotechnical architectures with Context Maps

https://speakerdeck.com/mploed/visualizing-sociotechnical-architectures-with-context-maps
Great explanation of what context maps are

EventStorming

Strictly speaking, EventStorming is a method that can be used without explicit references to DDD, and for purposes outside software engineering. However, from a DDD (or general software design) perspective, EventStorming is a great tool to explore the business domain, and for onboarding the develoment team and all relevant stakeholders.

Bente, Stefan (2020). Shopping List for an EventStorming Big Picture Workshop

(Download PDF)
Buying Post-Its in the color scheme that Brandolini requires is a surprisingly challenging task.
This shopping list compiles the most relevant sticky types (or proposes replacements for them, if certain types/colors are unavailable in Germany)
It also reflects the restrictions of buying such material at TH Köln, given the limited choice of approved suppliers

Bente, Stefan (2022). Cheat Sheet for an EventStorming Big Picture Workshop

(Download PDF)
My personal experience running several EventStorming workshops with students

Brandolini, A. (2021). Introducing EventStorming, Leanpub

https://leanpub.com/introducing_eventstorming
The standard book on EventStorming, by its inventor. Published as “book in the making” on Leanpub and updated from time to time (although not very frequently, so it is in a somewhat “forever unfinished” state)
A must-have for anyone who wants to use EventStorming

Brandolini, A. (2020). Remote EventStorming, Avanscoperta Blog

https://blog.avanscoperta.it/2020/03/26/remote-eventstorming/
EventStorming profits enormously from being conducted in a physical space, with all participants in the same room.
This blog post explains why, and what you can try remotely (not the Big Picture workshop!), if you have to.
See also a dedicated section in the EventStorming infopage on this server.

DDD Crew (2022). EventStorming Glossary & Cheat sheet

https://github.com/ddd-crew/eventstorming-glossary-cheat-sheet
Another EventStorming cheat sheet, this time by the DDD Crew

Gil, M. (2023). Awesome EventStorming - Material Collection on GitHub

https://github.com/mariuszgil/awesome-eventstorming
Huge collection of EventStorming material, including books, articles, videos, people, and other resources

Rayner, P. (2022). The EventStorming Handbook, Leanpub

https://leanpub.next/eventstorming_handbook
Alternative book on EventStorming, by Paul Rayner

Domain Storytelling as an alternative (or complimentary method)

Hofer, S., & Schwentner, H. (2025). Domain Storytelling Website

Domain Storytelling can be considered an alternative to EventStorming, or a complimentary method
This website contains a lot of material and examples
https://domainstorytelling.org/

Hofer, S., & Schwentner, H. (2025). Domain Storytelling: A Collaborative, Visual, and Agile Way to Build Domain-Driven Software. Pearson International.

The first book on Domain Storytelling
https://www.pearson.de/domain-storytelling-a-collaborative-visual-and-agile-way-to-build-domain-driven-software-9780137458899

Architecture Modelling with C4

The C4 model is not specific to DDD, but it is a great way to document the results of a DDD-based design process. In practice, it is often used in conjunction with the DDD methods described above, and has replaced UML diagrams in many projects and companies.

Brown, S. (without date). The C4 Model Website

Easiest way to get started with C4
Lots of examples and explanations
https://c4model.com/

Brown, S. (2025). The C4 Model for Visualizing Software Architecture. Leanpub.

Book version, available from Leanpub (continuously updated)
https://leanpub.next/visualising-software-architecture

Brown, S. (2026). The C4 Model: Visualizing Software Architecture. O'Reilly International.

Will be published in 2026 by O’Reilly
https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/the-c4-model/9798341660113/