Software Architecture

Why is it worth creating software architecture?

The primary purpose of software architecture in software engineering is to identify the requirements that directly influence the software structure and functioning. It also enables you to define use cases and use scenarios.

It makes it possible to reconcile functional and non-functional requirements, mainly quality-related.

Software architecture is a tool enabling you to:

• Enhance communication within a developer team, and more generally, it is helpful for all stakeholders
• Reasonably analyze and adapt the system being developed to the technical, business, and operational requirements
• Speed up the development work
• More precisely plan the work and specify individual phases
• Evaluate work progress more accurately
• Manage the project better
• Reduce the error rate and lower the costs of fixes
• Give the project a timeframe and organizational framework, and define the scope of roles, competencies, and activities.

Generally, creating software architecture as the project complexity grows is becoming more and more useful.

Creating software architecture is not an easy task.

The complexity of software architecture is primarily due to:

• Complexity of the system being developed
• Diversity of expectations, objectives, and means used to achieve them
• Many stakeholders represent differing expectations (e.g., business managers, owners, users).

Software architectures should be created by experienced software architects with expertise and the ability to make high-level software systems designs and manage their development to fulfill their functions.

The result of their work should be a document (software architecture description) including business and technological requirements.

The document itself is created based on the requirements gathered from individual stakeholders.

The software architecture description includes the following:

• Functional requirements
• Non-functional requirements

Software architecture should also contain information about any future constraints to which the designed application may be subject.

The most common constraints include the following:

• Lack of analytical methods to determine that a system meets the expectations
• Communication problems between stakeholders
• Lack of a dedicated software architect

Also, remember that mobile and web applications can be built using different methods.

The choice of the most adequate, efficient, and useful method is subject to the following:

• Software architect experience and expertise
• Developer team competences
• Project cost and project budget
• Time available for its execution
• The time necessary for the implementation of specific solutions
• The business environment in which a company operates

The literature on the subject features a number of:

• Software architecture description concepts
• IT system development methodology
• Software architecture description languages.

Also, choosing the best and most helpful formula is a matter of experience, expertise, the features of the software itself, and the business objectives to achieve. None of the concepts, methodologies, or languages is flawless. For this reason, experience is significant as it enables you to use these tools with greater awareness of risks, consequences, and constraints.

The following play an important role in the software architecture design process:

• Architectural analysis
• Architectural synthesis
• Architecture evaluation
• Architecture evolution

Architectural synthesis focuses on the requirements set out as a result of the analysis and links them to the current project status and the evaluation of the project development method.

Architecture evaluation serves similar purposes but is usually carried out after a given phase of system development.

Architecture evolution, in turn, is a process of maintaining the existing architecture and adapting it to environmental changes.

Typically, architecture evolution consists of function expansion and maintaining existing functionality. And their adaptation to each other.

Software architecture vs. Enterprise architecture

Enterprise architecture's primary goal is to define and align business processes, information flows, and technology infrastructure. It's focused on optimizing and improving the structure of the entire organization.

In turn, software architecture handles the development and design of systems and applications. It is also responsible for coding, maintenance, and testing.

Software and enterprise architects must work together to realize the organization's goals.

What are the main types of software architecture?

The approach to software architecture design has also changed with the growth of programming technologies and evolving standards.

Currently, the most popular methods of software architecture creation include:

• Monolithic architecture
• Service-oriented architecture (SOA)
• Microservice architecture

Monolithic architecture is characterized by the connectivity and interdependence of all of its components.

The monoliths operate on a single-file basis. This means that all application functions are deployed as a single unit.

The main advantages of monolithic architecture include higher efficiency, lack of modularity, simplicity of deployment, and greater ease of testing and error detection.

However, this solution has also drawbacks.

Each code change affects the performance of the entire system. Therefore, the whole application code must be checked after each update.

Monolithic architectures are also more problematic in terms of scalability. The entire application is subject to scaling, and it is impossible to scale its individual items, which is not always desirable.

As the name suggests, services are at the core of service-oriented architecture, i.e., independent software components with a separate interface.

To put it slightly differently, services enable users to perform tasks and achieve goals.

SOA allows you to realize multiple business objectives using integrated yet independent components.

The key advantage of this type of architecture is the ability to quickly and relatively seamlessly integrate a system with new additional components.

Also, service-oriented architecture allows the sharing of various technologies via an independent communication protocol.

Microservice architecture creates applications using multiple loosely connected or unconnected services.

Organizations are recommended to develop their digital products dynamically, depending on business scalability.

The independence of individual services allows you to develop them without the risk that the implemented changes will affect the entire system.

More importantly, individual services can be created using different technologies and providers.

Microservice architecture also provides more system security, efficiency, and stability. A fault in one service doesn't affect or interfere with the others.

The downside of this type of architecture is its technological complexity, which requires broad competence and technological experience.

This type of architecture is also related to software integration with external services. It can also cause problems during testing.

Software architecture patterns

Layered architecture pattern

The layered architecture pattern is one of the most widespread methods for software design. It divides the code into individual and independent layers, allowing your development team to implement changes into one layer without affecting the others. This type of software architecture is also easy to develop and maintain.

The layered architectural pattern is often used to develop desktop applications, web applications, content management systems, and more.

The layered architectural pattern consists of four layers:

• Presentation layer
• Business logic layer
• Application/service layer
• Data access layer

Microkernel architecture pattern

The microkernel architectural pattern is excellent for applications that need to be flexible and adaptable. It has two primary components: a core system and plug-in modules.

A core system is responsible for the app's fundamental features and operations, while plug-in modules control additional functionalities usually added later in development.

This type of architectural pattern enables you to add new features to an application even after its development.

Some use cases include the following: operating systems, plug-in-based apps, workflow applications, and more.

Event-based architecture pattern

The event-based architectural pattern consists of operations triggered by events such as clicking on a button. User actions generate status changes that, in turn, result in a reaction in the form of an event.

The event-based architectural pattern can be used to develop IoT apps, customer support systems, apps with asynchronous data flow, or online multiplayer games.

Space-based architecture pattern

The space-based architectural pattern works well with applications that heavily rely on scalability and have high traffic. This pattern uses shared memory space accessed by nodes.

This type of architectural pattern is ideal for creating e-commerce platforms, social networks, online games, or financial trading systems.

Best practices for software architecture

Software architecture design has been discussed many times and abounds in patterns of best practices.

Using best practices for software architecture enables you to:

• Minimize errors
• Make software architecture documents more communicative
• Improve the work and knowledge flows
• Manage projects
• Optimize the processes of analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and evolution
• Make decisions more effectively.

Best patterns most often apply to:

• Knowledge management
• Management of the communication within a team and the communication between all stakeholders
• Methods of making software design decisions
• Preparation of project documentation.

Knowledge flow is critical for this process. Incomplete knowledge can result in an incorrect or incomplete software architecture design.

Design patterns, prototypes, and analyses of similar digital products are significant elements in streamlining this process and should be documented and provided to all stakeholders.

Making design decisions is an issue resulting in several problems and risks.

Remember that making decisions is a multifaceted activity with different effects and takes place at varying levels of generality/specificity.

Awareness of various consequences enables you to reach a compromise between varying expectations and circumstances faster and more efficiently.

Documenting all information, activities, and auxiliary materials is of crucial importance.

A software architecture document should include static (code structures) and dynamic (system operation) views, descriptions, notations, and specifications.

What should you consider when choosing software architecture?

The choice of the right software architecture will depend on your needs and the type of application or system you plan to develop.

There are a few characteristics that you should consider when making your choice:

• Security
• Scalability
• Performance
• Budget
• Technology stack