System and Architecture
1. Define the System's Purpose and Requirements
Functional Requirements: What the system needs to do (e.g., user
authentication, data processing, etc.)
Non-functional Requirements: Performance, scalability, security, and
maintainability needs.
Use Cases: Specific scenarios the system must support.
Example:
System Purpose: Develop an online e-commerce platform for users to
browse, purchase, and review products.
Key Requirements:
o User authentication and authorization
o Product listing and search
o Payment gateway integration
2. Choose Architectural Patterns
Selecting an appropriate architecture pattern is vital to ensure the system meets its
requirements effectively. Some common architectural patterns include:
Monolithic Architecture: A single, unified system where all components are
tightly integrated.
Microservices Architecture: An architecture that breaks down the system
into independent, loosely coupled services.
Layered (N-Tier) Architecture: Divides the system into layers like
presentation, business logic, and data.
Event-Driven Architecture: Focuses on event producers and consumers,
useful for real-time systems.
Example:
For the e-commerce platform, a microservices architecture might be
chosen to divide functionalities like user management, product catalog, and
payment services into independent modules for scalability.
3. Define System Modules
Break the system down into key modules. Each module will handle a specific set of
functions within the system. Key system modules could include:
User Management Module: Handles user registration, login, and roles.
Product Module: Manages product listings, categories, and inventory.
Payment Module: Processes payments and manages transactions.
Order Management Module: Handles orders, order tracking, and returns.
Admin Module: Provides administrative functions like managing users and
products.
Example:
User Management Module: Supports registration, login, logout, and
password management.
Product Module: Enables CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations
on product data.
4. Design Database Architecture
The database design must support the system’s requirements. Depending on your
architecture, the database could be centralized or decentralized (distributed across
microservices). The database architecture can include:
Relational Databases: Uses structured data and SQL (e.g., MySQL,
PostgreSQL).
NoSQL Databases: Ideal for large datasets or unstructured data (e.g.,
MongoDB, Cassandra).
Hybrid Models: Combining relational and NoSQL databases to handle both
structured and unstructured data.
Example:
Product Catalog Database: Relational database for storing product details
(e.g., MySQL).
User Session Data: NoSQL database (e.g., Redis) for fast session
management.
5. Define System Interactions and APIs
Establish how different modules will communicate with each other and with external
systems. This could include:
REST APIs: Common for inter-module communication in web-based systems.
Message Queues: For event-driven systems and asynchronous
communication (e.g., RabbitMQ, Kafka).
GraphQL: For flexible query APIs.
Example:
REST API for User Management: /users/register, /users/login
API Gateway: Acts as a single entry point to route client requests to the
appropriate microservice.
6. Security Considerations
Define how security will be incorporated into the system architecture. This includes:
Authentication and Authorization: OAuth, JWT (JSON Web Tokens), or
session-based authentication.
Data Encryption: SSL/TLS for data in transit, encryption for sensitive data at
rest.
Access Control: Role-based access control (RBAC) or attribute-based access
control (ABAC).
Example:
JWT Authentication for securing APIs.
Encryption of sensitive data like credit card information.
7. Scalability and Performance
Ensure that the architecture can scale based on usage and data load. Consider:
Vertical Scaling: Adding more power to existing servers.
Horizontal Scaling: Adding more servers or instances.
Caching: Use of cache (e.g., Redis, Memcached) to reduce database load.
Load Balancing: Distributing incoming traffic across multiple servers.
Example:
Horizontal Scaling for the product catalog to handle a large number of
users browsing at the same time.
Load Balancer to distribute requests among multiple backend servers.
8. Tools and Technologies
Select the development tools, frameworks, and platforms that will be used to
implement the system. This could include:
Programming Language: Java, Python, JavaScript, etc.
Frameworks: Spring Boot (Java), Django (Python), Node.js (JavaScript), etc.
Database Systems: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, etc.
Deployment Platforms: AWS, Google Cloud, Azure.
Example:
Frontend Framework: React.js for building the user interface.
Backend Framework: Node.js with Express for API development.
Database: MySQL for relational data, Redis for session management.
9. System Diagram
Create a high-level system diagram that shows the modules, their interactions,
databases, and external dependencies (e.g., third-party APIs). Tools like Lucidchart,
Draw.io, or Microsoft Visio can help in designing these diagrams.
Example:
A microservices architecture diagram might include:
Frontend (React)
API Gateway
User Management Service
Product Catalog Service
Payment Gateway Integration
Databases and Cache Layers
10. Documentation and Testing Strategy
Document all aspects of the system, including APIs, database schemas, and key
workflows. Define a testing strategy that includes:
Unit Testing: To test individual components.
Integration Testing: To ensure modules work together.
End-to-End Testing: To validate the entire workflow from start to finish.
Load Testing: To assess performance under load.
Summary
A System and Architecture Module 1 provides the foundation for developing
robust, scalable, and secure systems. It breaks down the system into manageable
components, defines their interactions, and selects appropriate patterns and tools.
By addressing these aspects, you ensure that your system meets both current and
future requirements effectively.
