I want to know what is best practice. I have been told to always create ViewModels and never use core Model classes for passing data to Views. That makes sense. Lets me separate the things out. But what is Model is exactly the same as ViewModel. Should I recreate another class or just use it.
I feel that I should recreate. Just want to know what the experts say..
You should definitely still create a separate view model, even if it is identical to your domain entity. The view model and the domain entity should be completely independent, i.e. you should be able to change one without the other needing to know or care about the change. Your view model should represent your view and your domain entity should... well... represent your domain entity. They might be identical now but, if either changes, the change in one should not affect the other.
What if your domain model suddenly changes and now has fields that are no longer relevant to your view model? If they aren't separate, you have a problem. Or, worse (and probably more likely), what if your view model suddenly needs more information, from a totally distinct entity? Are you going to break the encapsulation of classes in your domain model with this totally irrelevant information, just to make it accessible in your view?
Keep your solution decoupled and flexible. Use view models.
I would suggest to create a ModelView, by the way. So in this, particular case it would be the same, it would work like a "bridge" between UI and a model, on which data trasmittes.
But it's good for scallability, cause, it's very likely that you would like to add something UI specific to your view model, so it will defer from the model itself more and more.
So general advice: create it by the way, even if now they are the same, cause it helps you scale when you will need it after.
But what is Model is exactly the same as ViewModel. Should I recreate another class or just use it.
If it's exactly the same you don't need a view model of course. But that is a pretty rare situation.
