Software architecture: Difference between revisions

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The ''architecture'' of a software system is a [[metaphor]], analogous to the [[architecture]] of a building.<ref name="PERRY1992">{{Cite journal | last1 = Perry | first1 = D. E. | last2 = Wolf | first2 = A. L. | author-link2 = Alexander L. Wolf| doi = 10.1145/141874.141884 | title = Foundations for the study of software architecture | journal = [[ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes]]| volume = 17 | issue = 4 | pages = 40 | year = 1992 | url = http://users.ece.utexas.edu/~perry/work/papers/swa-sen.pdf| citeseerx = 10.1.1.40.5174 | s2cid = 628695 }}</ref> It functions as the blueprints for the system and the development project, which [[project management]] can later use to extrapolate the tasks necessary to be executed by the teams and people involved.

ThereSoftware arearchitecture twois about making fundamental lawsstructural choices that haveare costly to bechange consideredonce implemented. Software architecture choices include specific structural options from possibilities in [[Software design|the design of the software]]. There are two fundamental laws in software architecture:<ref>{{Cite book |title=Head First Software Architecture |publisher=O'Reilly Media |year=2024 |isbn=978-1098134358}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Fundamentals of Software Architecture: An Engineering Approach |publisher=O'Reilly Media |year=2020 |isbn=978-1492043454}}</ref>

Software architecture design is commonly juxtaposed with [[software application design]]. Whilst application design focuses on the design of the processes and data supporting the required functionality (the services offered by the system), software architecture design focuses on designing the infrastructure within which application functionality can be realized and executed such that the functionality is provided in a way which meets the system's [[non-functional requirement]]s.

# Everything is a trade-off

Software architecture is about making fundamental structural choices that are costly to change once implemented. Software architecture choices include specific structural options from possibilities in [[Software design|the design of the software]].

# "Why is more important than how"

For example, the systems that controlled the [[Space Shuttle]] launch vehicle had the requirement of being very fast and very reliable. Therefore, an appropriate [[real-time computing]] language would need to be chosen. Additionally, to satisfy the need for reliability the choice could be made to have multiple redundant and independently produced copies of the program, and to run these copies on independent hardware while cross-checking results.

"Architectural Kata" is a teamwork which can be used to produce an architectural solution that fits the needs. Each team extracts and prioritizes architectural characteristics (aka [[Non-functional requirement|non functional requirements]]) then models the components accordingly. The team can use [[C4 model|C4 Model]] which is a flexible method to model the architecture just enough. <ref>{{Cite book |title=Fundamentals of Software Architecture An Engineering Approach |publisher=O'Reilly Media |year=2020 |isbn=9781492043423}}</ref>

[[Software documentation|Documenting software]] architecture facilitates communication between [[Stakeholder (corporate)#In management|stakeholders]], captures early decisions about the high-level design, and allows the reuse of design components between projects.<ref name="SAP2">{{cite book|last=Bass|first=Len|author2=Paul Clements |author3=Rick Kazman |title=Software Architecture in Practice, Third Edition|publisher = Addison-Wesley|year=2012|___location=Boston|isbn=978-0-321-81573-6}}</ref>{{rp|29–35}}

There are two fundamental laws that have to be considered in software architecture:<ref>{{Cite book |title=Head First Software Architecture |publisher=O'Reilly Media |year=2024 |isbn=978-1098134358}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Fundamentals of Software Architecture: An Engineering Approach |publisher=O'Reilly Media |year=2020 |isbn=978-1492043454}}</ref>

Software architecture design is commonly juxtaposed with [[software application design]]. Whilst application design focuses on the design of the processes and data supporting the required functionality (the services offered by the system), software architecture design focuses on designing the infrastructure within which application functionality can be realized and executed such that the functionality is provided in a way which meets the system's [[non-functional requirement]]s.

# Everything is a trade-off

# "Why is more important than how"

[[Software documentation|Documenting software]] architecture facilitates communication between [[Stakeholder (corporate)#In management|stakeholders]], captures early decisions about the high-level design, and allows the reuse of design components between projects.<ref name="SAP2">{{cite book|last=Bass|first=Len|author2=Paul Clements |author3=Rick Kazman |title=Software Architecture in Practice, Third Edition|publisher = Addison-Wesley|year=2012|___location=Boston|isbn=978-0-321-81573-6}}</ref>{{rp|29–35}}

[[File:Software Architecture Activities.jpg|thumb|Software architecture activities]]