What is Software Architecture ?

Software architecture is the hierarchical structure of program components and their interactions. One goal of software design is to derive an architectural rendering of a system. This rendering serves as a framework from which more detailed design activities are conducted.

Set of properties of architecture design are:

-Structural properties:
The architecture design defines the system components and their interactions.

- Extra-functional properties:
The architecture design should address how the design architecture achieves requirements for performance, capacity, reliability, adaptability, security.

- Families of related systems:
The architecture design should draw upon repeatable patterns in the design of families of similar systems.

Different architectural design methods:
- Structural models: represent architecture as an organized collection of components.
- Framework models: increase the level of design abstraction by identifying repeatable architecture design frameworks (patterns).
- Dynamic models: address the behavior aspects of the program architecture.
- Process models: focus on the design of the business or technical process.
- Functional models: can be used to represent the functional hierarchy of a system.