Software Architecture defines the high-level structure and organization of a software system, including its components, their relationships, interfaces, and the principles guiding its design and evolution.
Key aspects:
- Structural organization: How system components are arranged and connected
- Component interfaces: How different parts communicate and interact
- Design principles: Rules and guidelines governing system design decisions
- Quality attributes: Non-functional requirements like performance, security, and scalability
- Technology choices: Selection of frameworks, databases, platforms, and tools
Why Software Architecture matters:
- Foundation for development: Provides clear roadmap and guidelines for implementation teams
- Stakeholder communication: Enables effective communication between technical and business stakeholders
- Risk mitigation: Identifies potential technical and architectural issues early in the development lifecycle
- Quality assurance: Ensures system meets performance, scalability, security, and maintainability requirements
- Cost management: Helps estimate development effort and identifies potential technical debt
- Team coordination: Enables multiple development teams to work effectively on large systems
