What is a software architecture?

The architecture of a software describes how the different elements of an application will be arranged and how they interact with each other. This step is therefore one of the first steps in software development and occurs during the design phase. It is generally carry out by a software architect or a solution architect, a central element of the development project.

The importance of architecture during software development:

The design of the architecture is a particularly important phase in the development of a software. It determines its stability, efficiency and sustainability. On the contrary, the mobile App designer Dubai may experience weaknesses due to a poorly thought-out architecture, not or no longer adapted to the context.

If the pressure of time-to-market weighs on the development of a software, it therefore also weighs on the design of its architect. Be aware that once the project has started, since it is such a structural element, it is dangerous or even impossible to change it.

That being said, it is not so common to find “bad” architects in absolute terms, but we often observe architectures that are not perfectly adapted to the context of the development project. Because software architecture is above all the result of a compromise between the technical, operational and functional requirements surrounding the application. And this is where the software architect will have to exercise his know-how and have sufficient experience.

From this point of view, which software architecture should we choose?

Several criteria guide the choice of application architecture

First of all, this choice follows a good understanding of the business need and the functional and non-functional constraints of the software. Understanding the business need must, for example, cover the different types of users involved, their different mode(s) of access to this software.

A context to take into account

This reflection must make it possible to answer, among other things. Two essential questions in terms of software architecture: Does the software have to respond quickly? What volume of data must it process? But it also makes it possible to know whether this data must be centralized or distributed? How should users access the application from a network point of view? On what type of hardware? In what language or with what type of keyboard?

The architecture of the software will therefore depend on the type of company and the use for which it intends the software. To take a concrete example, if a software publisher must be flexible in order to respond to very different needs. The end customer wants software adapted only to the need that he has been able to express.

Similarly, it is difficult to achieve a very fast response time when the volume of data process is very large; the architecture will have a determining impact on obtaining an acceptable result. And in particular the way of organizing, distributing and indexing them.

The application user

The number of users expected for the application also comes into play. In particular because it impacts the frequency of software requests. Software request every day by 3 users will be design differently from software that request every day by 50,000 users. Even if the volume of data processed for each request is low and similar.

The choice of architecture can also be made based on elements external to the project and in particular the skills of the technical team which can guide towards one or the other architecture. Be careful, however, due to lack of resources, to move towards an architecture that is not well suited to the risk of creating difficulties later on. It is possible to seek advice from specialists to set up or validate an architecture. Find out how mobile App designer Dubai can support you in defining and designing a software architecture.

Software architecture does not have a lifespan as such

It is mainly the developments of the application that will influence its proper functioning. However, when business needs have changed significantly during the life cycle of a software. This can result in a mismatch between the initial architect and current constraints; in concrete terms, the software may no longer be able to manage requests. This happens when new features multiply, the volume of data processed ‘explodes’, etc.

Hence the importance of having a scalable architecture. At mobile App designer Dubai, we have developed a software engineering product for this, Code Modeler. Which allows the functional design of the code to be decouple. Which helps grandly the scalability of the applications designed and allows them to follow the technologies for a minimal cost. By re-generation of the business software layers and access to data.

Whether it is technological obsolescence, the end of support for a critical software layer. Or simply new functional or integration needs, an architect always has a limited lifespan.

Finally, when the architecture is no longer suitable, this is where a software overhaul can intervene that will take into account the new constraints.