What is software architecture?

Software architecture describes a computing system or program's structure, as well as the decisions that are made about how software systems are organized and how structural elements are selected. It integrates elements like object-oriented analysis and design, web service, and representational state transfer (REST), to create software applications and systems that are flexible and reusable. There are five patterns in software architecture, including layered, event-driven, microkernel, microservices, and space-based.

What benefits will I gain if I learn software architecture?

Learning software architecture is essential for building systems that will last. You'll discover techniques for building software that's flexible and scalable all while making informed design decisions that allow you to execute safer, faster, better software and for less money. You'll receive training in programming, systems design and development operations, all of which allow you to progress in your career or enter a new industry. You'll get skills in software development and gain the ability to execute solutions and lead a team of software engineers.

What are typical careers that use software architecture?

Typically, software architects study software architecture. There's a fair amount of variance in the titles you'll see. Other job titles you might encounter include application architects, enterprise architects, solutions architects, and technical architects. For some, it's the next step in their careers after becoming a senior developer. For anyone who wants to enter the field directly, there are entry-level positions to get you started. Software architects commonly work in an office environment, although you may have remote work opportunities available to you as well. If this is a career you're interested in, expect to spend the majority of your work time sitting in front of a computer.

What kind of people are best suited for roles in software architecture?

People ideally suited for working in software architecture have a mixture of solid technical skills and leadership qualities because working in software architecture requires taking the technical lead on projects. While project managers deal with resources and scheduling, the software architect makes technical decisions, organizes the team, and contributes to planning activities around the architecture. Other traits that are useful to have include design skills, programming skills, and a background in or a good understanding of the software development process. Having knowledge of the business domain is also helpful since it provides insight into the requirements that will have to be considered to create solutions that best solve the problem.

What are the benefits of taking an online Software Architecture course?

Online Software Architecture courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Software Architecture skills. Choose from a wide range of Software Architecture courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Software Architecture courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Software Architecture, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Best Software Architecture Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the Software Architecture Course Catalog

University of Alberta
Software Architecture
Skills you'll gain: Software Architecture, Unified Modeling Language, Systems Architecture, Software Design, Software Visualization, Solution Architecture, Software Systems, Software Development, Software Documentation, Software Design Patterns, System Design and Implementation, Software Technical Review, Object Oriented Design, Maintainability, Scalability
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
908 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Alberta
Software Design and Architecture
Skills you'll gain: Software Architecture, Model View Controller, Unified Modeling Language, Object Oriented Design, Service Oriented Architecture, API Design, Systems Architecture, Web Services, Software Design Patterns, Software Design, Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), Microservices, Restful API, Software Visualization, Code Review, Solution Architecture, Software Systems, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Java, Software Development
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
3.9K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Software Architecture for Big Data
Skills you'll gain: Service Level, Performance Testing, Software Engineering, Database Management, Web Applications, Software Architecture, Scalability, Microservices, Data Architecture, System Monitoring, Distributed Computing, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Application Development, Predictive Modeling, Prototyping, Apache Kafka, Application Performance Management, Requirements Elicitation, Test Automation, Transaction Processing
Build toward a degree
3.5
Rating, 3.5 out of 5 stars
92 reviews
Advanced · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: [object Object]
IBM
IBM Full Stack Software Developer
Skills you'll gain: Istio, Node.JS, Software Development Life Cycle, Unit Testing, Object-Relational Mapping, Cloud Computing Architecture, Server Side, Application Deployment, Kubernetes, React Redux, Cloud Services, OpenShift, Git (Version Control System), Cloud Applications, Full-Stack Web Development, HTML and CSS, Cloud Computing, Jupyter, Generative AI, Interviewing Skills
Build toward a degree
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
53K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Software Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Software Design Patterns, Requirements Analysis, Systems Development Life Cycle, Software Architecture, Acceptance Testing, Software Development Methodologies, Unified Modeling Language, Software Development Life Cycle, Configuration Management, Software Quality Assurance, Debugging, Engineering Software, Software Design, Process Driven Development, Software Engineering, Software Testing, Object Oriented Design, Functional Requirement, Data Modeling, Systems Design
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
471 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Introduction to Embedded Systems Software and Development Environments
Skills you'll gain: Software Configuration Management, Embedded Software, Embedded Systems, Git (Version Control System), Version Control, System Programming, Build Tools, Software Development Tools, C (Programming Language), Development Environment, Code Review, Computer Architecture, Debugging, Command-Line Interface
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
626 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Amazon Web Services
AWS Cloud Solutions Architect
Skills you'll gain: AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM), Amazon CloudWatch, Data Lakes, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon Web Services, Serverless Computing, Cloud Computing, Amazon S3, Scalability, Cloud Infrastructure, Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud, Event-Driven Programming, Cloud Security, Solution Architecture, Data Visualization, Cloud Computing Architecture, Cloud Solutions, Data Architecture, Amazon Redshift, Software Architecture
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
6.4K reviews
Intermediate · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
IBM
Introduction to Software Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Software Development Life Cycle, Development Environment, Software Engineering, Software Architecture, Software Design, Programming Principles, Unified Modeling Language, Agile Methodology, Software Development, Scrum (Software Development), Web Development, Cloud Development, Integrated Development Environments, Application Development, Back-End Web Development, Front-End Web Development, Computer Programming, Python Programming
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
2.9K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Minnesota
Software Development Lifecycle
Skills you'll gain: User Story, Agile Software Development, Software Design Patterns, Design Thinking, Software Development Methodologies, Agile Methodology, Agile Project Management, Process Mapping, Software Engineering, Kanban Principles, Software Development Life Cycle, Application Security, Scrum (Software Development), Object Oriented Design, Software Architecture, Software Quality (SQA/SQC), Requirements Analysis, Application Deployment, Lean Methodologies, Lean Manufacturing
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
9.6K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free
Princeton University
Computer Architecture
Skills you'll gain: Microarchitecture, Computer Architecture, Hardware Architecture, Computer Systems, Computer Engineering, Computer Hardware, Operating Systems, Performance Tuning, Scalability
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
3.5K reviews
Advanced · Course · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free
Coursera Instructor Network
Cloud Architecture Design Patterns
Skills you'll gain: Cloud Computing Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure, Scalability, Cloud Computing, Software Architecture, Cloud Services, Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS), Load Balancing, Serverless Computing, Software Design Patterns, Microservices, Software As A Service, Event-Driven Programming
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
18 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Alberta
Design Patterns
Skills you'll gain: Model View Controller, Software Design Patterns, Software Design, Unified Modeling Language, Object Oriented Design, Code Review, Software Architecture, Programming Principles, Maintainability, Java, Android Development, Software Development
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
1.3K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks