📖 Part I: Foundations
Part 1: Foundations¶
“Before you shape the structure, let the structure shape your thinking.”
Before diving into folder names and layouts, we begin where all strong architecture does: with understanding. Part 1 is about building a mental model for why folder structure matters—not just in technical terms, but in terms of workflow, scalability, and developer sanity.
Too often, folder decisions are treated as cosmetic—"just preferences." But the moment a project grows past 3 features or 2 contributors, structure becomes the invisible architecture that either holds your system together or lets it fracture under pressure.
This section lays the groundwork by exploring:
- Why structure is not a personal preference but a team contract
- How bad folder practices lead to bugs, confusion, and duplication
- What modularity and scalability actually mean (and how they differ)
- Which architectural principles give structure lasting power
- How your stack (React + Vite + FastAPI) influences structural decisions
What You'll Learn in Part 1¶
| Chapter | Key Idea |
|---|---|
| 1. Introduction | Why this book exists, who it’s for, and what it will change in how you build. |
| 2. Why Folder Structure Matters | From chaotic codebases to mental overhead—real stories of structure gone wrong. |
| 3. Modularity vs. Scalability | Definitions, trade-offs, and why you need both at different stages. |
| 4. How Structure Impacts Software Quality | Maintainability, testability, onboarding—structure is the silent driver. |
| 5. Core Principles of Architecture | The foundational concepts behind great structure: SoC, DRY, cohesion, and more. |
| 6. Understanding the Stack | The architectural assumptions and constraints of React + FastAPI, and how they shape folder strategy. |
Why This Section Matters¶
You don’t just need folders that "make sense." You need folders that scale with your product, align with your team, and stand the test of change.
By the end of Part 1, you’ll see folder structure not as a rigid decision—but as a living system that reflects the philosophy behind your software.
Let’s begin with the problem that sparked this book: “Where do I put this file?”