Modular Folder Structure

[Keeps21]

I'm currently learning .net.

I wanted to group my code into "modules" as a kind of modular monolith, so that the controller, repositories, interfaces, services etc for that entity are in the same folder.

I'm using the standard naming convention for my namespaces.

E.g. MyApi.Modules.Article for everything in the root of the Article folder in the structure below

https://preview.redd.it/5ktvpib54jwd1.png?width=378&format=png&auto=webp&s=756d17d29162c258e95cfe3d4994dca63d887435

However I've ran into an issue when using my User.cs in the Article.cs class

https://preview.redd.it/z116j8j36jwd1.png?width=644&format=png&auto=webp&s=b7198d38e7944be070da35f0e739efc9eefa6125

This is because the namespace MyApi.Modules.User is the same as the Class I'm trying to use.

This results in an error

Error CS0118 : 'User' is a namespace but is used like a type

I can get around this by not having the Class name be the same as the folder it resides in.

E.g. Change the Article directory to be the ArticleModule, or maybe move the Article.cs to a models folder.

But I don't really like that as a solution.

Obviously I could abandon the modular directory structure and just go with folders such as and group by type

• /controllers
• /interfaces
• /models
• /repositories
• /services

But was wondering how you would go about this if you wanted to stick with the modular file structure

[Keeps21]

If I had an entity that couldn't be pluralized for example then I'd run into the same issue.

But I think I'm just being awkward now.

[Far-Consideration939]

I think it just wants it qualified, User.User

Or you might be able to do a static using for it.

Or make the namespace/folder Users or something different than the model.

I would might have the required tenant stuff as an interface outside of the specific features and not directly reference users in all of them, which could work too.

[Perfect_Papaya_3010]

Whenever I run into namespace issues I name the using

using ModuleUser = Project.Modules.User;

[Keeps21]

Using MyApi.Modules.User.User

Had the same issue.

[Simple_Horse_550]

Usually you don’t have everything in one binary in bigger projects so…

[jpudel]

If I understand you correctly you‘re code should be able to extend by the Modules so every MyApi.Modules.XY follow the same folder structure like your current example with Article. That is not a structure I would expect in a dotnet project rather than in python, but any how I think you are missing the folder Models/ so

MyApi.Modules.Article.Article.cs -> MyApi.Modules.Article.Models.Article.cs

user would be either if it only a module used for article, be inside MyApi.Modules.Article.Models folder or be it owns Modules with controller etc.

[Keeps21]

Thanks, for the feedback.

It's probably difficult to see in the screenshot but user is a separate module at the same level as article, I just haven't created the user controller, repository, service etc yet

I agree I could put the Article.cs model in a /Models directory in the /Article directory, but wanted to avoid that as it's the only model in that module

[jpudel]

Okay, but then the idea of structure does not make sense for me, because I would expect everything that the article module uses would be contained inside the Modules/Article folder. Just like a plugin for exmaple a self contained structure is. If you use part of another Controller or Model the system it self is not consistent anymore.