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

Status: Free Trial
University of Alberta
Software Design and Architecture
Skills you'll gain: Software Architecture, API Design, Object Oriented Design, Model View Controller, Software Design Patterns, Unified Modeling Language, Microservices, Systems Architecture, Service Oriented Architecture, Web Services, Software Design, Restful API, Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Application Programming Interface (API), Maintainability, Software Systems, Solution Architecture, JSON, Java
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
3.9K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Alberta
Software Architecture
Skills you'll gain: Software Architecture, Unified Modeling Language, Systems Architecture, Software Design, Software Systems, Solution Architecture, Software Visualization, Software Design Patterns, Software Technical Review, Maintainability, Object Oriented Design, Functional Requirement
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
927 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Introduction to Software Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Software Development Life Cycle, Software Architecture, Development Environment, Software Design, Software Engineering, Software Development Methodologies, Software Design Patterns, Systems Development, Software Development Tools, Program Development, Software Development, Integrated Development Environments, Application Security, Web Development, Cloud Development, Web Applications, Back-End Web Development, Computer Programming, Front-End Web Development, Python Programming
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
3.7K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Preview
Coursera Instructor Network
Cloud Architecture Design Patterns
Skills you'll gain: Cloud Computing Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure, Cloud Computing, Virtual Machines, Virtualization and Virtual Machines, Software Architecture, Cloud Services, Load Balancing, Software Design Patterns, Scalability, Serverless Computing, Microservices, Event-Driven Programming
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
27 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: New
Status: Preview
Coursera Instructor Network
QA Process Optimization: Agile & Automated Testing
Skills you'll gain: Software Quality Assurance, Quality Assurance, Test Automation, Test Driven Development (TDD), Acceptance Testing, Behavior-Driven Development, Agile Software Development, Regression Testing, Software Testing, Test Case, Test Tools, Agile Methodology, User Story, CI/CD, Automation, Analysis, Collaboration
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Status: AI skills
Google
Google UX Design
Skills you'll gain: UI/UX Research, User Research, Responsive Web Design, Wireframing, Usability Testing, Storyboarding, User Experience Design, Information Architecture, Design Research, Figma (Design Software), Sprint Retrospectives, Mockups, Cross Platform Development, Prototyping, User Experience, Usability, Persona (User Experience), Design Thinking, Interviewing Skills, Applicant Tracking Systems
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
92K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

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Status: Free Trial
Status: AI skills
IBM
IBM Full Stack Software Developer
Skills you'll gain: Serverless Computing, Software Development Life Cycle, Node.JS, OpenShift, GitHub, Software Architecture, ChatGPT, React Redux, Web Development Tools, Microservices, Containerization, Responsive Web Design, React.js, Kubernetes, Cloud Computing Architecture, Object-Relational Mapping, CI/CD, Flask (Web Framework), Jupyter, Professional Networking
Build toward a degree
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
56K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Colorado Boulder
Software Architecture for Big Data
Skills you'll gain: Performance Testing, Software Architecture, Service Level, Data Architecture, Software Engineering, Scalability, Test Driven Development (TDD), Database Management, Predictive Modeling, Database Architecture and Administration, Test Automation, Software Development, System Monitoring, Application Deployment, Web Applications, Distributed Computing, Software Design, Software Development Methodologies, Microservices, Big Data
Build toward a degree
3.5
Rating, 3.5 out of 5 stars
100 reviews
Advanced · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Software Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Unified Modeling Language, Software Development Life Cycle, Software Quality Assurance, Acceptance Testing, Requirements Analysis, Configuration Management, Quality Assurance, Software Development Methodologies, Debugging, Software Design Patterns, Functional Requirement, Systems Analysis, Software Engineering, System Requirements, Software Testing, Software Design, Data Modeling, Systems Design, Project Management, Project Planning
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
522 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Minnesota
Software Development Lifecycle
Skills you'll gain: User Story, Agile Software Development, Software Development Methodologies, Scrum (Software Development), Design Thinking, Software Design Patterns, Agile Methodology, Software Architecture, Test Driven Development (TDD), Continuous Deployment, Kanban Principles, Software Quality Assurance, Continuous Integration, CI/CD, Version Control, Agile Project Management, Engineering Software, Software Engineering, Lean Manufacturing, Lean Methodologies
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
9.7K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Meta
Meta Full-Stack Developer
Skills you'll gain: Database Design, Version Control, Unix Commands, Restful API, HTML and CSS, Jest (JavaScript Testing Framework), Django (Web Framework), Relational Databases, Git (Version Control System), React.js, SQL, API Design, GitHub, Responsive Web Design, Database Management, Application Programming Interface (API), MySQL, Data Integrity, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Python Programming
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
24K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Status: AI skills
Amazon
Amazon Junior Software Developer
Skills you'll gain: Software Development Life Cycle, Full-Stack Web Development, Software Development Methodologies, Model View Controller, Git (Version Control System), JUnit, GitHub, Version Control, Spring Boot, Responsive Web Design, Software Development, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), SQL, Java Programming, Java, Restful API, Database Management, Data Structures, Generative AI, Digital Transformation
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
337 reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months