Software Architect Bootcamp

Do you know what an architect does? In the programming world, this title Architect is defined in many different ways, some that are too low level that they are really just designers, and not architects, in the traditional sense of the word. An Architect not only looks at technologies and decides which will work best for their project, but they must also define process and standards. They must understand about human behavior, build teams, and learn to learn quickly. There are many different Architectural models out there that many aren't aware of like the Zachman Framework or 4+1 Architect. But most think an architect just draws UML collaboration diagrams. This is the first time I have read a book on being an architect that surpassed my definitions of what an architect is. I want to be an architect and this book has taught me much more than I could have thought of. There are a few rare breed of books that are the top of its class, this book is one of them. If you dream of becoming an Architect then you must buy this book.

Collaboratively written by two experts in the field (Raphael Malveau and Thomas J. Mowbray), and now in an updated and significantly expanded second edition, Software Architect Boot Camp is a clear, concise, and no-nonsense manual to learning how to devise practical solutions to common challenges, avoid costly mistakes, as well as balance costs versus needs as a software architect. Individual chapters cogently address choosing the right architectural model for one's project; applying abstraction; refactoring; architectural proto-typing; coordinating effectively with project managers and teams; managing a professional software architect career, and a great deal more. Software Architect Book Camp is an absolute "must-have" instructional and reference for any practicing or aspiring software architect.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is really an exellent book for the people who are interested in building a career in Software Architecture

The title of this book is appropriate because bootcamp is an intense indoctrination of fundamental skills and discipline. Bootcamp prepares recruits for the real world in which they are further trained in a specialty and become part of a team that has a shared mission.In the case of software architecture, this book's approach to bootcamp is narrow in that it focuses on component-based architecture instead of a more general and encompassing treatment of this aspect of software engineering. Despite the narrow focus, this book covers some important fundamentals that will serve the new or aspiring architect well in his or her career path or job. What I like most about the book is that it's independent of vendors and products. The foundation is, instead, based on standards and methods that are important to the discipline of software engineering in the component-based development domain. An excellent example is RM-ODP (Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing), which allows you to decompose an architecture into viewpoints to examine specific dimensions of requirements. Even if you do not adopt RM-ODP, the paradigm is a great foundation for architecture. Moreover, the Unified Modeling Language (UML)is placed into context with respect to architecture. Finally, although I personally believe CORBA has some problems, the mechanics and concepts are solid foundation material for understanding object request broker infrastructure as one building block of an architecture.There are some things I do not like about the book. The oscillations between high- and low-level details are akin to a roller coaster and it's disorienting to a reader who is intent on learning the basics of architecture. The lack of good editing makes the book read like a patchwork instead of an "intense indoctrination." Editing and writing problems notwithstanding, this book is a worthwhile (if ponderous) resource on an important aspect of software architecture for the new practitioner. Although the focus is on component-based development, the fundamentals can be extended into a more general view of architecture that will prepare the architect for his or her specialization in the real world.

As a newly crowned enterprise software architect, I needed a complete "Architect in a Box" kit, and this book is it. Learn what software architecture is, why it is becoming so popular, where it started, where it is going, and how to do it well. A must have on any software architect's desk.