What is Model-View-Presenter?
Model-View-Presenter (MVP) is a software architectural pattern that separates an application into three interconnected components: Model, View, and Presenter. It's designed to facilitate automated unit testing and improve separation of concerns.
The Presenter acts as the "middle-man" between Model and View, containing the presentation logic and coordinating updates between the two. Unlike MVC, the View in MVP is more passive and delegates all user events to the Presenter.
The Three Components
Model
Represents the data and business logic of the application. Contains the core functionality and data structures, independent of the user interface.
View
A passive interface that displays data and routes user commands to the Presenter. The View has no direct knowledge of the Model and contains minimal logic.
Presenter
Acts as the intermediary between Model and View. Contains presentation logic, retrieves data from the Model, formats it, and updates the View. Handles all user input from the View.
MVP vs MVC vs MVVM
| Aspect | MVP | MVC | MVVM |
|---|---|---|---|
| View Role | Passive, delegates to Presenter | Can observe Model directly | Binds to ViewModel |
| Middle Layer | Presenter | Controller | ViewModel |
| Coupling | View ↔ Presenter (1:1) | Loose coupling | Via data binding |
| Testability | High (Presenter testable) | Medium | High (ViewModel testable) |
Benefits of MVP
- Testability: Presenter logic can be unit tested without UI dependencies
- Separation of Concerns: Clear boundaries between UI and business logic
- Maintainability: Changes to UI don't require changes to business logic
- Reusability: Presenters can be reused with different View implementations
When to Use MVP
Good For:
- • Android development (traditional approach)
- • Applications requiring high testability
- • Complex UI logic that needs isolation
- • Teams prioritizing unit testing
Consider Alternatives For:
- • Simple CRUD applications
- • Frameworks with strong data binding (use MVVM)
- • Very small projects with minimal UI logic
- • Real-time reactive applications
Looking for a Different MVP?
MVP has different meanings in other contexts: