Which architectural pattern is best suited for implementing a complex business process that involves multiple steps and actors?

Event-Driven Architecture (EDA) is particularly well-suited for implementing complex business processes that involve multiple steps and actors because it enables more flexible and decoupled interactions between different components of the system. In EDA, components communicate through events, allowing for asynchronous processing and enabling multiple parts of the system to react to changes or events independently.

This is especially beneficial in scenarios where multiple actors or services are involved, as it allows for a more manageable workflow that can dynamically respond to different conditions and inputs without tightly coupling the system components. Each actor or service can listen for specific events, perform their tasks, and trigger further actions as necessary, making it easier to manage complex workflows and adapt to changes over time.

In contrast, other architectural patterns might not handle such complexity as effectively. While microservices can also support complex business processes, they often require a more structured approach to communication and deployment. Layered architecture, though good for separating concerns, is typically less agile when it comes to managing multiple concurrent processes. Model-View-Controller (MVC) is primarily focused on separating the data and user interface layers, which does not inherently provide the event-driven capabilities needed for handling complex business interactions among multiple actors.