Software architecture: A pattern language for building sustainable software architectures

Abstract

Recently, the business of software architecture has become one of technology hypes and technology geeks. An architecture often defines itself by the primary technology it is built upon. Developers are given a J2EE book and then let loose. And then the project fails, although "we used an industry standard" How come? The craft of defining an architecture - independent of buzzwords - has gone out of fashion. Designing architectures on a conceptual level is not something people learn, or read books about (there aren't many books on this topic!). The view of the essential aspects of an architecture is obstructed by all the technology stuff. This paper outlines best practices that I consider essential when building a realworld software architecture. It could be called an "architectural process" if you wish.