Software architecture

Software architecture

Software architecture

Introduction

The software architecture describes in symbolic and schematic the different elements of one or more computer systems, and their interactions. Unlike the specifications produced by the functional analysis, the architecture model (produced during the design phase) does not describe what a computer system must achieve. Instead of that it teaches how they should be designed to meet specifications. The analysis describes the "what" while the architecture describes the "how to do it."

Discussion

While software architecture has a wide range of applications in the field of software engineering, but so far not a recognized definition. Many experts and scholars from different angles and different aspects of the software architecture characterization, a typical definition: Dewayne Perry and A1ex Wo1f gave this definition: The software architecture has some form of structural elements, a collection of components, including the processing components, data components and connecting elements. The processing component is responsible for data processing; the data component is the processing of information, to connect the components to connect the different parts of the combination of the architecture. While according to Mary Shaw and David Garlan, Software architecture is a hierarchy in the software design process, this level is beyond calculation algorithm design and data structure design. Architectural issues including the overall organization and global control, communication protocols, synchronization, data access, assign specific functions to the design elements, design elements, organization, size and performance, choose among design.

Background and motivation

The design phase is the software equivalent, in computer science, in the design phase in traditional engineering (mechanical, electrical or civil); this phase is to fully realize the product in an abstract form before the actual production. By cons, the nature of software (modeled in the information and not in matter), makes the border between architecture and the product much more blurred than in traditional engineering. The use of CASE tools ( Computer-aided software ...