The underlying software architecture is the cornerstone of software development, and its selection directly affects the performance, scalability and maintainability of the software. The editor of Downcodes will introduce you to several common software underlying architectures in detail, including their advantages, disadvantages and applicable scenarios, to help you better understand and choose the appropriate architecture model. This article will cover various architectural models such as client-server architecture, microservice architecture, event-driven architecture, service-oriented architecture, distributed system architecture, cloud native architecture, serverless architecture, and hybrid architecture. It will also come with answers to frequently asked questions for your convenience. Gain a more comprehensive grasp of relevant knowledge.

The underlying architecture of R&D software includes client-server architecture, microservice architecture, and event-driven architecture. Among them, microservice architecture is a modern software architecture style that decomposes large applications into small, loosely coupled services, with each service independently developed, deployed and maintained. This architecture can improve development efficiency, enhance system flexibility, and facilitate expansion. The microservice architecture uses lightweight protocols (such as HTTP, REST, gRPC) for communication. Each service has its own independent data storage, allowing the team to choose the most suitable technology stack.
Client-Server Architecture is a traditional software architecture model in which the client makes a request and the server processes the request and returns the result. This architecture is commonly used in web applications, mobile applications, and desktop applications.
advantage:
Centralized management and control: The server centrally manages data and application logic for easy maintenance and updates. High security: The server can implement a centralized control security mechanism to protect data security.shortcoming:
Single point of failure: If the server goes down, the entire system will not work. Scalability limitations: When the number of users increases, the load pressure on the server will increase significantly.The client-server architecture is suitable for small and medium-sized applications, such as enterprise internal management systems, e-commerce websites and social media platforms.
Microservices architecture is an architectural style that breaks down applications into small, independent services. Each service is developed, deployed, and maintained independently, communicating through lightweight protocols (such as HTTP, REST, gRPC).
advantage:
High development efficiency: Each service is developed independently, and teams can work in parallel to shorten the development cycle. High flexibility: Allows teams to choose the most suitable technology stack, and each service can be expanded and deployed independently. High availability: When a problem occurs with a certain service, it will not affect the operation of the entire system.shortcoming:
Increased complexity: Inter-service communication, data consistency, and distributed transaction management become complex. High operation and maintenance costs: A large number of independent services need to be monitored and managed, making operation and maintenance more difficult.Microservice architecture is suitable for large and complex systems, such as e-commerce platforms, financial systems and cloud computing services, and can improve system flexibility and scalability.
Event-Driven Architecture is an architectural pattern that communicates through events. Components in the system interact by publishing and subscribing to events.
advantage:
Loose coupling: Components communicate through events, reducing coupling. High scalability: New event handlers can be easily added to expand system functionality.shortcoming:
Difficulty in debugging: Due to the asynchronous nature of event-driven, troubleshooting and debugging are more difficult. Data consistency challenges: Need to deal with the order of events and data consistency issues.Event-driven architecture is suitable for systems that need to process a large number of events in real time, such as real-time data analysis, IoT platforms, and financial trading systems.
Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) is a service-centric software architecture style in which applications communicate through a set of loosely coupled services.
advantage:
High reusability: Services can be reused by multiple applications, improving development efficiency. Strong flexibility: services are loosely coupled for easy expansion and maintenance.shortcoming:
Performance overhead: Communication between services may incur performance overhead. Increased complexity: the need to manage service lifecycles, versions and dependencies.SOA is suitable for enterprise-level applications that need to integrate multiple heterogeneous systems, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and supply chain management systems.
Distributed System Architecture is an architectural pattern that distributes applications across multiple computing nodes, and the nodes communicate and collaborate through the network.
advantage:
High availability: Improve system availability through redundancy and failover mechanisms. High scalability: The processing capabilities of the system can be expanded by adding nodes.shortcoming:
Consistency challenges: Need to deal with data consistency and distributed transaction issues. Increased complexity: Communication, coordination, and load balancing between nodes need to be managed.Distributed system architecture is suitable for systems that require high availability and high scalability, such as large-scale Internet applications, cloud computing platforms, and distributed database systems.
Cloud-Native Architecture is an architectural pattern based on cloud computing platform design, which uses the elasticity and scalability of cloud services to build applications.
advantage:
Elastic expansion: resources can be dynamically adjusted according to load to optimize cost and performance. High availability: Utilize the redundancy and fault recovery mechanism of the cloud platform to improve system availability.shortcoming:
Dependence on cloud platforms: You need to rely on a specific cloud service provider and may face vendor lock-in issues. Security challenges: Data and applications need to be secure in the cloud environment.Cloud-native architecture is suitable for applications that require rapid iteration and elastic expansion, such as Internet applications, mobile applications and SaaS platforms.
Serverless Architecture is an architectural model that does not require server management. Developers only need to focus on application logic, and the cloud service provider automatically manages the infrastructure.
advantage:
Simplified operation and maintenance: No need to manage servers and infrastructure, reducing operation and maintenance costs. On-demand billing: Pay according to actual usage to optimize costs.shortcoming:
Cold start delay: There may be a cold start delay when the function is first executed. Restricted by platform: Depending on a specific cloud service platform, you may face limitations.Serverless architecture is suitable for applications that require rapid development and deployment, such as API services, event-driven applications, and data processing tasks.
Hybrid Architecture is a pattern that combines multiple architectural styles and uses the advantages of different architectures to build complex systems.
advantage:
High flexibility: you can choose the most suitable architectural style according to application requirements. Optimize performance: Optimize system performance by combining the advantages of different architectures.shortcoming:
Increased complexity: Multiple architectural styles need to be managed and coordinated, increasing the complexity of the system. Integration challenges: Integration and communication between different architectures can present challenges.Hybrid architecture is suitable for complex systems that need to meet multiple needs, such as large-scale enterprise applications, cross-platform applications, and multi-tenant SaaS platforms.
The underlying architecture of R&D software is a crucial part of the software development process. Different architecture models have different advantages, disadvantages and applicable scenarios. Developers need to choose the appropriate architecture based on specific needs and system characteristics. Microservice architecture, client-server architecture, event-driven architecture, service-oriented architecture, distributed system architecture, cloud-native architecture, serverless architecture and hybrid architecture are all common underlying architecture patterns. By rationally selecting and applying these architectures, the flexibility, scalability, and maintainability of the system can be improved, thereby building high-quality software systems.
1. What is the underlying architecture of R&D software?
The underlying architecture of R&D software refers to the basic framework and structure used in the software development process. It determines the overall design and organization of the software, including the relationship between various modules, the transmission method of data flow, and the performance and scalability of the system.
2. What is the importance of the underlying architecture to developing software?
The underlying architecture is very important for developing software, as it can provide efficient workflow and good system performance. A reasonable underlying architecture can help developers better organize code, reduce code redundancy, and improve code maintainability and testability. At the same time, it can also ensure the stability and security of the software, providing a good foundation for subsequent function expansion and system upgrades.
3. What are the common methods for selecting the underlying architecture?
When choosing the underlying architecture of R&D software, you can choose based on specific needs and project scale. Common selection methods include:
Monolithic architecture: suitable for small projects, integrating all functional modules into one application, making it simple and easy to develop and deploy. Layered architecture: Divide the software into multiple layers, such as the presentation layer, business logic layer and data access layer, to improve the reusability and maintainability of the code. Microservice architecture: Split the software into multiple independent small services. Each service has its own database and interface, which can be independently developed and deployed to improve the elasticity and scalability of the system. Event-driven architecture: Communication between modules is realized through the triggering and response of events. It is highly flexible and suitable for systems that need to handle a large number of concurrent events.The above are common underlying architecture selection methods. Based on specific project needs and technical requirements, you can choose an appropriate architecture to develop software.
I hope this article can help you better understand the underlying architecture of the software. Choosing the right architecture is key to building successful software, so choose carefully based on your actual needs.