What is software architecture?

Software architecture describes a computing system or program's structure, as well as the decisions that are made about how software systems are organized and how structural elements are selected. It integrates elements like object-oriented analysis and design, web service, and representational state transfer (REST), to create software applications and systems that are flexible and reusable. There are five patterns in software architecture, including layered, event-driven, microkernel, microservices, and space-based.

What benefits will I gain if I learn software architecture?

Learning software architecture is essential for building systems that will last. You'll discover techniques for building software that's flexible and scalable all while making informed design decisions that allow you to execute safer, faster, better software and for less money. You'll receive training in programming, systems design and development operations, all of which allow you to progress in your career or enter a new industry. You'll get skills in software development and gain the ability to execute solutions and lead a team of software engineers.

What are typical careers that use software architecture?

Typically, software architects study software architecture. There's a fair amount of variance in the titles you'll see. Other job titles you might encounter include application architects, enterprise architects, solutions architects, and technical architects. For some, it's the next step in their careers after becoming a senior developer. For anyone who wants to enter the field directly, there are entry-level positions to get you started. Software architects commonly work in an office environment, although you may have remote work opportunities available to you as well. If this is a career you're interested in, expect to spend the majority of your work time sitting in front of a computer.

What kind of people are best suited for roles in software architecture?

People ideally suited for working in software architecture have a mixture of solid technical skills and leadership qualities because working in software architecture requires taking the technical lead on projects. While project managers deal with resources and scheduling, the software architect makes technical decisions, organizes the team, and contributes to planning activities around the architecture. Other traits that are useful to have include design skills, programming skills, and a background in or a good understanding of the software development process. Having knowledge of the business domain is also helpful since it provides insight into the requirements that will have to be considered to create solutions that best solve the problem.

What are the benefits of taking an online Software Architecture course?

Online Software Architecture courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Software Architecture skills. Choose from a wide range of Software Architecture courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Software Architecture courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Software Architecture, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Software Architecture Courses - Learn Software Architecture Online

Explore the Software Architecture Course Catalog

Status: Free
Coursera Instructor Network
Cloud Architecture Design Patterns
Skills you'll gain: Cloud Computing Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure, Scalability, Cloud Computing, Software Architecture, Cloud Services, Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS), Load Balancing, Serverless Computing, Software Design Patterns, Microservices, Software As A Service, Event-Driven Programming
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
18 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
IBM
IBM DevOps and Software Engineering
Skills you'll gain: CI/CD, Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), Istio, Continuous Integration, Software Development Life Cycle, Linux Commands, Agile Software Development, Unit Testing, Cloud Computing Architecture, Application Deployment, Test Driven Development (TDD), Gherkin (Scripting Language), Kubernetes, Jenkins, Bash (Scripting Language), Cloud Services, DevOps, Git (Version Control System), Jupyter, Grafana
Build toward a degree
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
58K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
University of Minnesota
Software Development Lifecycle
Skills you'll gain: User Story, Agile Software Development, Software Design Patterns, Design Thinking, Software Development Methodologies, Agile Methodology, Agile Project Management, Process Mapping, Software Engineering, Kanban Principles, Software Development Life Cycle, Application Security, Scrum (Software Development), Object Oriented Design, Software Architecture, Software Quality (SQA/SQC), Requirements Analysis, Application Deployment, Lean Methodologies, Lean Manufacturing
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
9.6K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Fundamentals of Software Architecture for Big Data
Skills you'll gain: Service Level, Software Engineering, Software Systems, Software Architecture, Distributed Computing, Data Architecture, Microservices, Software Development, Transaction Processing, Software Design, Test Driven Development (TDD), Blockchain, Maintainability, Database Systems, Data Structures, System Monitoring, Database Design, Continuous Integration
Build toward a degree
3.5
Rating, 3.5 out of 5 stars
81 reviews
Advanced · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
IBM
Applied Software Engineering Fundamentals
Skills you'll gain: Software Development Life Cycle, Linux Commands, Unit Testing, Bash (Scripting Language), Shell Script, Git (Version Control System), GitHub, Development Environment, Version Control, File Management, Jupyter, Software Engineering, Software Architecture, Application Deployment, Automation, Flask (Web Framework), Web Scraping, Python Programming, Open Source Technology, Application Development
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
46K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Software Engineering: Modeling Software Systems using UML
Skills you'll gain: Requirements Analysis, Unified Modeling Language, Object Oriented Design, Functional Requirement, Data Modeling, Systems Design, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Systems Development Life Cycle, System Requirements, Software Development, Software Engineering, Software Systems
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
293 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
LearnQuest
Blockchain Solution Architecture
Skills you'll gain: Blockchain, Risk Management, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), Risk Analysis, Business Risk Management, Governance Risk Management and Compliance, Interoperability, Cyber Risk, Security Management, Network Architecture, Systems Architecture, Governance, Solution Architecture, Information Technology Architecture, Application Security, Project Documentation, Technical Documentation, Cryptography, Data Storage, Data Architecture
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
14 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Google Cloud
Architecting with Google Kubernetes Engine: Workloads
Skills you'll gain: Kubernetes, Cloud-Native Computing, Google Cloud Platform, Application Deployment, Scalability, Load Balancing, Cloud Infrastructure, Containerization, Cloud Computing, YAML, Data Storage, Authorization (Computing), General Networking, Network Security
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
1.3K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Software Architecture Patterns for Big Data
Skills you'll gain: Performance Testing, Scalability, Data Architecture, Software Architecture, Distributed Computing, Predictive Modeling, Database Architecture and Administration, Application Performance Management, Database Systems, System Design and Implementation, Test Automation
Build toward a degree
3.7
Rating, 3.7 out of 5 stars
27 reviews
Advanced · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Software Engineering: Implementation and Testing
Skills you'll gain: Acceptance Testing, Software Development Methodologies, Configuration Management, Debugging, Software Development Life Cycle, Software Testing, Software Engineering, Unified Modeling Language, System Testing, Verification And Validation, Unit Testing, System Design and Implementation, Agile Software Development, Secure Coding, Test Case, Requirements Analysis, Waterfall Methodology
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
104 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Minnesota
Engineering Practices for Building Quality Software
Skills you'll gain: Software Design Patterns, Software Engineering, Application Security, Object Oriented Design, Software Architecture, Software Quality (SQA/SQC), Threat Modeling, Maintainability, Code Review, Quality Assurance, Continuous Integration, CI/CD, Software Technical Review, Test Driven Development (TDD), Software Development Tools, Software Documentation, Version Control
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
417 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Alberta
Service-Oriented Architecture
Skills you'll gain: Service Oriented Architecture, API Design, Web Services, Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), Microservices, Restful API, Software Architecture, Web Applications, JSON, Systems Architecture, Java
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
574 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks