Software Architecture For Developers with Neal Ford

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February 17th, 2018

50 mins 28 secs

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About this Episode

Summary

Whether it is intentional or accidental, every piece of software has an existing architecture. In this episode Neal Ford discusses the role of a software architect, methods for improving the design of your projects, pitfalls to avoid, and provides some resources for continuing to learn about how to design and build successful systems.

Preface

  • Hello and welcome to Podcast.__init__, the podcast about Python and the people who make it great.
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  • A few announcements before we start the show:
    • There is still time to register for the O’Reilly Software Architecture Conference in New York. Use the link podcastinit.com/sacon-new-york to register and save 20%
    • If you work with data or want to learn more about how the projects you have heard about on the show get used in the real world then join me at the Open Data Science Conference in Boston from May 1st through the 4th. It has become one of the largest events for data scientists, data engineers, and data driven businesses to get together and learn how to be more effective. To save 60% off your tickets go to podcastinit.com/odsc-east-2018 and register.


  • With many thanks to O’Reilly Media, I have two items to give away. To sign up you just need to subscribe to the mailing list at podcastinit.com and you will have the chance to win either a copy of Neal’s book, Building Evolutionary Architectures, or a Bronze ticket to the O’Reilly Software Architecture Conference in New York. I will be picking the winners on February 21st.

  • Your host as usual is Tobias Macey and today I’m interviewing Neal Ford about principles of software architecture for developers

Interview

  • Introductions
  • How did you get introduced to Python?
  • A majority of your work has been focused on software architectures and how that can be used to facilitate delivery of working systems. Can you start by giving a high level description of what software architecture is and how it fits into the overall development process?
  • One of the difficulties that arise in long-lived projects is that technical debt accrues to the point that forward progress stagnates due to fear that any changes will cause the system to stop functioning. What are some methods that developers can use to either guard against that eventuality, or address it when it happens?
  • What are some of the broad categories of architectural patterns that developers should be aware of?
  • Are there aspects of the language that a system or application is being implemented in which influence the style of architecture that is commonly used?
  • What are some architectural anti-patterns that you have found to be the most commonly occurring?
  • Software is useless if there is no way to deliver it to the end user. What are some of the challenges that are most often overlooked by engineering teams and how do you solve for them?
  • Beyond the purely technological aspects, what other elements of software production and delivery are necessary for a successful architecture?
  • What resources can you recommend for someone who is interested in learning more about software architecture, whether as an individual contributor or in a full time architect role?

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The intro and outro music is from Requiem for a Fish The Freak Fandango Orchestra / CC BY-SA