Software architecture

Software architecture is a coherent set of abstract patterns guiding the design of each aspect of a larger software system.

Architecture examples

There are many common ways of designing computer software modules and their communications, among them:

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• Client-server
• Distributed computing
• Peer-to-peer system
• Blackboard
• Implicit invocation
• Monolithic system
• Three-tier model
• Structured (module-based but usually monolithic within modules)
• Software componentry (strictly module-based, usually object-oriented programming within modules, slightly less monolithic)
• Service-oriented architecture