/siː.kjuː.ɑːr.ɛs/
Definition
A software architecture pattern that separates reading and writing into distinct models, ensuring that no one fully understands how data works end-to-end. Popular among architects who love diagrams more than code.
Common Manifestations
- Two perfectly designed systems that don’t talk to each other.
- APIs where “update” and “fetch” are handled by different microservices, teams, and belief systems.
- Data so eventually consistent that it never quite arrives.
- Conversations beginning with “It’s simple, really…” followed by a 40-minute whiteboard session.
Usage Example
“We implemented CQRS and achieved the ultimate state: no single person can break the system, because no single person understands it.”
HR Guidance
CQRS is an ideal pattern for distributing both workload and blame.
When executives ask why dashboards are out of sync, reassure them it’s eventual consistency, not incompetence.
Celebrate every outage as proof of architectural sophistication.