In this episode, we start our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Software Architecture Fundamentals 2nd Edition. We discuss our (updated) definition of software architecture. While we were writing the first edition, we kept our eyes open for things that seems universally true; we hoped to find about 10, but we ended up with two in the first edition. For the second edition, we added a third law after some insights in the intervening years. In this episode of the podcast, we cover all three laws and how they apply to the remainder of the book.

What's it like to author a technical book? Especially one as stylized at Head First Software Architecture? We take a brief departure from our normal pattern of covering one book chapter per episode as we're between books and thought this might be a good time to go meta. We provide some insight in writing "regular" technical books, along with the special constraints and challenges inherent in writing for a series like Head First.

Head First books by their nature cannot cover as much material as conventional books, especially for such a broad topic as software architecture. Thus, the "Leftovers" chapter was born--several important topics that we just didn't have room to cover in the book. In this episode of the podcast, we cover the Head First Software Architecture "Leftovers" and sum up our last thoughts on the book.

Continuing our exploration of distributed architectures, our next architecture style is event-driven architecture, one of the few styles that can also double as a communication pattern. We discuss what makes an architecture event-driven versus microservices, and discuss why architects might choose this style for certain classes of problems ill suited to other styles. And, as always, we cover both the super powers and kryptonite for this style.

Everyone's favorite popular architecture of the moment, our next architecture style goes fully into distributed architectures with microservices, discussing how it differs from monolithic architectures and other distributed ones. Regardless of what people say, this isn't the only architecture anyone should use; we discuss the good and bad for this style, along with its superpowers and kryptonite.

Our third monolithic (sometimes) architecture style is the micro-kernel architecture. We delve into how this is different than an architecture that just supports plug-ins, and talk about some of the great uses and dangers to watch out for. As with all our style chapters, we end with a discussion of the super powers and kryptonite of this style.

In our second architecture styles chapter, we delve into the Domain-driven Design inspired cousin of the Layered architecture (our previous episode)--the Modular Monolith. 

We describe what sets these two monolithic architectures apart, what the superpowers (and kryptonite) for this style, and when you would use it rather than a layered architecture.

And, as always, we answer the voluminous questions from our audience at the recording.

The main part of the Head First Software Architecture book is a catalog of architecture styles; this is the first of several chapters delving in the structure, communication, and all the other characteristics of named architectural styles, in this case, the Layered Architecture. We start with the traditional layered architecture as it is so common, and it has an easy to understand structure. We discuss its uses, how layered related to the domain, and limitations. For each architectural style, we also cover the Superpowers and Kryptonite for that style.

As architects, we often talk about patterns--contextualized solutions to problems. But we must also choose between architectural styles: named topologies that include component organization, logical (and sometimes physical) deployment, communication,and a host of other characteristics. In this episode, we distinguish between patterns and styles and answer some common questions.

Structural design in software architecture entails both architectural characteristics analysis and deriving logical component from the problem domain. This episode of the podcast delves into logical component analysis, some traps to avoid, and some different analysis techniques. And, as always, answer lots of questions that came up during the discussion.