Thoughtworkers Neal Ford and Mark Richards provide the definitive guide to software architecture
Thoughtworks, a global software consultancy, today announced the availability of a new book, Fundamentals of Software Architecture. Renowned Thoughtworks technologist Neal Ford joined forces with distinguished author Mark Richards to provide this essential resource for both existing and aspiring software architects.
Fundamentals of Software Architecture explores the principles of software architecture, examines the strengths and weaknesses of different architectural patterns, and most uniquely, the book explores the techniques and soft skills software architects must master.
“We approached this book from an engineering perspective but emphasize that developing software needs to move away from being a craft,” says Thoughtworks software architect and author Neal Ford. “We looked at techniques for developing concrete measures and metrics—including how to understand your current situation and plot a safe path towards a better future.”
Guided by a ‘no best practices’ approach, Ford and Richards note that the job of a software architect isn’t to come up with a perfect solution. Rather, every decision involves trade-offs. The book pes into eight different architecture styles to help readers identify the least worst solution—one driven by trade-offs not best practices.
Importantly, Ford and Richards also state that software architecture cannot be described merely in terms of structures. Those seeking to become a software architect must fully understand the decision-making process that underpins the architecture—thereby ensuring that future changes incur less risk.
This definitive guide to software architecture has a strong career focus and represents foundational reading for those aspiring to enter the field. Fundamentals of Software Architecture is available to purchase in print or via digital download. To download a free chapter, visit https://www.thoughtworks.com/books/fundamentals-of-software-architecture
Neal Ford is a software architect at Thoughtworks. He designs and develops large-scale enterprise applications, and is an author of multiple articles and books spanning a variety of subjects and technologies, including his recent Building Evolutionary Architectures. Ford is also an internationally known speaker, speaking at over 700 developer conferences worldwide, delivering more than 3,000 presentations.
Mark Richards is a hands-on software architect with over 30 years of experience in the industry, with more than 20 of those years having played the role of an application architect, integration architect, and enterprise architect. Richards created and delivered Microservices Architectures, Service-Based Architectures, and Service-Oriented Architectures. He's a published author, conference speaker, trainer, and founder of DeveloperToArchitect.com.