10 Software Architecture Patterns in Enterprise Software Development

Introduction to Software Architecture in Enterprise Development

Software architecture refers to the structured framework that conceptualizes software components, their relationships, and how they interact. In enterprise software development, selecting the right architecture pattern is critical, as it impacts the system’s scalability, maintainability, and performance. Each architectural pattern offers a unique set of benefits and trade-offs, which must align with the business goals and technical requirements of the enterprise.

Layered Architecture

• Each layer provides service to the next high-level. Every level is abstract.

• Presentation layer (UI layer)

• Application layer (service layer)

• Business logic layer (domain layer)

• Data access layer (persistence layer)

The real-life application

• E-commerce web application

• General desktop application

2. Client-server Architecture

• It consists of a server + multiple clients

• The server provides services to multiple clients.

• The client requests the specific service, the server will provide the relevant service

The real-life application

• Banking

• Email

3. Master-slave Architecture

• The master component will assign works among the identical slave components and compute a final result from the results that the slaves return

The real-life application

• In database replication, the master database is considered an authoritative source, the slave database synchronizes with the master database

• Peripheral connected to a bus in computer architecture

4. Pipe-filter Architecture

• Data will be processed filtered and passed through pipes. It is used for buffering or synchronization purposes.

The real-life application

• A compiler which includes lexical analysis, parsing, semantic analysis, and code generation

• Workflows in bioinformatics

5. Broker Architecture

• Distributed systems will decouple components

• A broker component coordinates the communication among the servers

• Clients request a service from the broker, and the broker redirects the request to the relevant server to trigger a suitable service from its registry

The real-life application

• Apache ActiveMQ

• Apache Kafka

• RabbitMQ

• JBoss Messaging

6. Peer-to-peer pattern

• A peer may act as a client a server or both, it changes depending on the role dynamically with time

• A peer can request services from other peers.

The real-life application

• File-sharing networks (Gnutella and G2)

• Multimedia protocols (P2PTV and PDTP)

• Cryptocurrency-based coin (bitcoin and blockchain)

7. Event-bus Architecture

• 4 major components: event source, event listener, channel, and event bus

• Sources publish messages to a particular channel through an event bus

• Listeners subscribe to a specific channel

• Listeners are notified of messages when the publisher posts some messages

The real-life application

• Android Development

• Azure DevOps

• Notification services

8. Model-view controller Architecture

• MVC pattern

• Model — Contains the core functionality and data (business logic) view — Displays the information to the user Controller — handles the input from the user

The real-life application

• Web frameworks (Django and Rails)

• Many programming languages (C #)

9. Blackboard Architecture

• Good for no deterministic solution

• Blackboard — A structured object for input knowledge Source — modules with their own business logic Control component — selects, configures, and executes modules

• New data objects are added to the blackboard

The real-life application

• Protein structure identification

• Speech recognition

• Vehicle identification and tracking

• Sonar signals interpretation.

10 . Interpreter Architecture

• Interpret programs written in a dedicated language

• evaluate lines of programs

The real-life application

• Database Query Languages (SQL)

• Communication protocols related to languages

The advantages and disadvantages of each architecture

Wrap Up

Choosing the right software architecture pattern for enterprise development solutions for small businesses requires a deep understanding of business needs and technical constraints. Whether it's the simplicity of monolithic architecture, the flexibility of microservices, or the adaptability of hexagonal architecture, each pattern has its strengths. Ultimately, the best pattern is the one that aligns with the enterprise's growth and scalability goals.