Fundamentals of Software Architecture, 2nd Edition

Chapter 2. Architectural Thinking

Architectural thinking is about seeing things with an architect’s eye—​in other words, from an architectural point of view. Understanding how a particular change might impact overall scalability, paying attention to how different parts of a system interact, and knowing which third-party libraries and frameworks would be most appropriate for a given situation are all examples of thinking architecturally.

Being able to think like an architect first involves understanding what software architecture is and the differences between architecture and design. It then involves having a wide breadth of knowledge to see solutions and possibilities that others do not see; understanding the importance of business drivers and how they translate to architectural concerns; and understanding, analyzing, and reconciling trade-offs between various solutions and technologies.

In this chapter, we explore these aspects of thinking like an architect.

Architecture Versus Design

Take a moment and picture your dream house in your mind. How many floors does it have? Is the roof flat or peaked? Is it a big sprawling, single-story ranch house or a multistory contemporary house? How many bedrooms does it have? All of these things define the overall structure of the house—​in other words, its architecture. Now take a moment to picture the inside of the house. Does it have carpeting or hardwood floors? What color are the walls? Are there floor lamps or lights hanging from the ...