Software Architecture in Applications Course Syllabus

Overview: This course provides a practical introduction to software architecture, designed for developers looking to understand how to design, evaluate, and optimize modern software systems. With a strong focus on real-world application, you'll learn key architectural concepts, patterns, and quality attributes through interactive text-based lessons and hands-on projects. The curriculum is structured into five core modules followed by a final project, totaling approximately 7 hours of engaging content. You'll gain experience in system decomposition, architectural decision-making, and trade-off analysis—skills directly applicable to roles in software and solution architecture.

Module 1: Getting Started & Intro to Architecture

Estimated time: 1 hours

• Define software architecture and its significance in development
• Understand the role of architecture in Agile environments
• Explore characteristics of modern web applications
• Introduce the architecture meta-frame concept

Module 2: Quality Attributes & Architectural Drivers

Estimated time: 1 hours

• Identify non-functional requirements and their impact
• Learn key quality attributes: scalability, security, maintainability
• Measure and prioritize quality attributes
• Apply quality attributes to real architectural decisions

Module 3: Architectural Styles & Patterns

Estimated time: 1.5 hours

• Examine layered and client-server architectural patterns
• Explore broker and peer-to-peer architectures
• Study decentralized and microservices patterns
• Evaluate trade-offs of each pattern using case examples

Module 4: Web Architecture & System Decomposition

Estimated time: 1.5 hours

• Dive into web application architecture layers
• Design UI, API, data, and application tiers
• Learn service decomposition techniques
• Apply C4 model and n-tier architecture principles

Module 5: Case Studies & Projects

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Analyze real-world application scenarios
• Design and refactor application architectures
• Evaluate architecture strategies for web apps
• Complete two hands-on architecture projects

Module 6: Final Project

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Design a scalable web application architecture
• Document architectural decisions and trade-offs
• Submit for feedback via quizzes and assessments

Prerequisites

• Familiarity with basic software development concepts
• Understanding of web application fundamentals
• Experience in any programming language

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Define and communicate software architecture effectively
• Choose appropriate architectural patterns based on requirements
• Assess trade-offs between scalability, performance, and maintainability
• Design and decompose web application architectures
• Apply architectural knowledge to real-world projects and system design interviews