Software Architecture Guide
Architecture patterns, principles, decisions, and best practices.
Architecture Patterns
Monolithic
Single unified codebase
Use: Small teams, simple apps
Microservices
Independent services
Use: Large scale, teams
Layered
Presentation, business, data layers
Use: Traditional enterprise
Event-Driven
Events trigger actions
Use: Async systems, real-time
Serverless
Cloud-managed functions
Use: Variable workloads, cost-optimal
Design Principles
Separation of Concerns
Divide into distinct sections
Single Responsibility
Each module has one purpose
Dependency Injection
Decouple components
Interface Segregation
Specific interfaces over general
Fail Fast
Validate early, error early
Key Decisions
Monolith vs Microservices
Factors: Team size, scale, complexity
SQL vs NoSQL
Factors: Data structure, query needs
Sync vs Async
Factors: Performance, user experience
Cache Strategy
Factors: Data freshness, performance
State Management
Factors: Complexity, scale
Best Practices
Document architecture decisions
Design for change
Plan for failure
Keep it simple initially
Measure performance
Security from start
Consider operational costs
Align with team structure
Architecture Checklist
1. Understand requirements. 2. Define constraints (scale, budget, team). 3. Choose pattern (start simple). 4. Define boundaries. 5. Plan data architecture. 6. Design for failure. 7. Consider security. 8. Plan operations. 9. Document decisions. 10. Measure and iterate. Architecture = foundation. Decisions matter. Iterate, don't over-design initially.