Software architecture refers to the high-level structure of a software system, defining its components, their relationships, and how they interact with each other and the environment. It encompasses a set of decisions that impact the design, construction, deployment, and maintenance of the system. Here are some key aspects of software architecture:
1. Components: The modular parts that make up the system. These could be classes, objects, services, or other types of entities.
2. Relationships: How the components interact with each other. This includes data flow, control flow, and synchronization.
3. Patterns: Common solutions to recurring design problems, such as Model-View-Controller (MVC), client-server, and microservices.
4. Non-Functional Requirements: Aspects like performance, scalability, security, and maintainability play a crucial role in the architecture.
5. Architectural Styles: Different approaches to organizing a system, such as layered architecture, event-driven architecture, and service-oriented architecture (SOA).
6. Technological Decisions: Choices regarding the technical stack (programming languages, frameworks, libraries, etc.).
7. Documentation: Diagrams and documents that describe the architecture to guide developers and stakeholders.
Good software architecture enables scalability, robustness, flexibility, and maintainability. It's a critical step in the software development lifecycle that significantly influences the success of a software project.