Welcome to the Software Architecture Guide! This guide is a collaborative effort designed by a community of seasoned architects and former colleagues, each eager to share their unique perspectives and practical knowledge to support others in mastering architectural skills.

Who is this guide for?

This guide is designed to be a valuable resource for software industry professionals. Whether you’re a developer, an architect, or a manager, it offers insights, frameworks, and tools to help you better understand and excel in software architecture.

For Developers

As a developer, this guide serves as a springboard for transitioning into an architecture role by helping you understand fundamental architectural principles and decision-making approaches. While it may be less relevant for junior developers, mid-level engineers who are already making design decisions will find immense value. By learning how architectural decisions are made, you’ll be better equipped to design scalable and maintainable systems, laying a solid foundation for future growth.

For New Architects

If you’re entering the field of architecture, this guide provides foundational knowledge and practical insights to help you develop the essential skills needed for success. It offers a structured perspective on architectural principles, frameworks, and decision-making processes. By understanding core responsibilities and industry best practices, you’ll gain confidence in your role and be better prepared to handle complex technical and strategic challenges.

For Seasoned Architects

This guide acts as a checklist for evaluating and refining your expertise. It provides a comprehensive framework for assessing skills against industry standards, enhancing strategic thinking, and improving problem-solving capabilities. With insights into advanced architectural patterns and real-world case studies, it enables continuous professional growth. Additionally, it fosters networking opportunities by encouraging knowledge exchange with peers and promoting best practices and innovation.

For Managers

Managers, particularly those overseeing architects, will find this guide invaluable in understanding architects’ strategic role within an organization. It clarifies:

  • What architects are responsible for.
  • How to assess their effectiveness.
  • How to hire the right talent and align architecture with business goals.

By leveraging this guide, managers can make more informed decisions, ensure architects drive innovation, and optimize technical leadership within their teams.

How to Use the Guide

We recommend reading the guide in order, as each article builds on the previous one. While each article provides a concise summary of essential concepts and terms, it’s not meant to be the sole source of information. The heart of each article lies in its Recommended Reading section, where we suggest additional materials to help you dive deeper into the topics we introduce.

Guide Structure

Here’s a brief overview of the sections you’ll find in this guide:

  • Fundamentals: This section covers the basics of architecture—what it is, how to approach it, and how to create one. We’ll wrap up with a practical example of architecture to give you a clear idea of the end goal.
  • Organization: Understanding the role of an architect requires understanding the environment in which they work. This section explores how teams, departments, and companies are structured, from the engineering team level to the broader company level, highlighting approaches to building efficient organizations.
  • Role: Here, we explore the architect’s role. We’ll classify different types of architects, outline key areas of knowledge they need, and explore the relationships and collaborations they must build with other architects, engineering teams, product owners, and managers.
  • Competencies: This section focuses on the core skills an architect should develop. We highlight key concepts for each skill and provide resources to help you build expertise.
  • Specializations: Finally, we delve into the technical expertise expected from architects. This section introduces foundational knowledge before branching into three primary specializations: applications, data, and platform. While we encourage you to choose one specialization to master first, the guide also supports broadening your knowledge to other areas over time.

How to Contribute

We believe in the power of collective wisdom. Please don’t hesitate to get involved if you have any feedback or suggestions or want to contribute content. Your input can make a significant difference in helping us create a comprehensive resource for everyone interested in architecture.

CONTRIBUTING.md

Stay tuned as we continue to expand and refine this guide together!