FAQ 4.01 What is the purpose of this chapter?

To discuss the relationship between software architecture and OO design and OO programming.

It is critical to plan for change in the software system as well as in the people who will be used to construct and maintain the software. Good architecture is the key to planning for and responding to change.

Many of the design and programming principles advocated in this book are rooted in software architecture. For example, an important architectural principle is to reduce unnecessary coupling, and this book discusses how C++ can be used to decrease coupling. Thus it is important to understand the architect's perspective and to know how to translate architectural principles into C++ constructs.

In this book, the term software architecture is used rather broadly to describe several activities that occur early in the development cycle, including domain analysis and defining the logical (rather than physical) organization of the system.