Essay Example on C4 Model: A Tool for Communicating Software Architecture

Introduction

The C4 model was developed to assist in software advancement teams to communicate and describe software architecture when documenting an existing codebase and during up-front design sessions ("C4 Model for Software Architecture," 2018). C4 diagrams' hierarchy gives various abstraction levels that are relevant to different audiences. Thus, C4 models form a better way to communicate how the team wishes to create a software system and how it works (Masuda & Viswanathan, 2019). The operation of C4 models includes learning, knowledge sharing, and retrospective documentation.

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I believe that considering the software systems' static structures such as code, components, and containers shall help the team in realizing their goals. In essence, a container encompasses a data store or an application where things run to allow the overall system to work. Usually, a container is something like a mobile app, database, client-side desktop application, server-side web application, content store, serverless function, microservice, and a file system (Masuda & Viswanathan, 2019). A container is a boundary or inside where some data are stored and executed. Every container is separately runnable in its own space (Sthapitanond & Mertens, 2012). For that reason, communication between containers assumes an inter-process communication form.

Components entail the grouping of related functionality where they are encapsulated behind a well-defined interface. In other words, it entails grouping of implementation classes behind an interface, which includes the methods of packaging the components (Kirton et al., 2013). In the same process, every component is executed within a container. Components are key parts of a container diagram. The components map to real abstraction the team codebase.

Using codes will allow the team to visualize a problem even before getting the solution. Unwanted information can be eliminated using color-coding to highlight different paths via architecture. Elements are constructed with basic programming language using objects, functions, enums, interfaces, and classes (Dai & Ji, 2014). For a person to create a code, there are abstraction sets to build a ubiquitous language to apply in explaining the software system. Color coding is an effective approach for the diagram to indicate the existence of a software diagram.

Non-Technical Skills

Non-technical skills such as situation-awareness skills, decision-making skills, team-work skills, leadership skills, and communication skills are vital in making the teams do their jobs (Brown, 2016). Non-technical skills are essential in making human work more efficient and safer. Even though the skills may not be applicable in daily operations, they are vital in maintaining an effective and efficient approach (Sthapitanond & Mertens, 2012). Such that, individuals need to communicate with each other and work as a team to make sure a particular task is completed (Brown, 2018). The skills are learned through practice and training that allows a person to choose the best alternative.

In some instances, the organization may need license holders, whereas others may not warrant it. Decision-making and situation-awareness are important in ensuring communication and team-work (Azad-Manjiri, 2014). The non-technical skills help developers or teams to understand where there are poor leadership and poor communication methods.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I believe that considering the software systems' static structures such as code, components, and containers shall help the team in realizing their goals. Usually, a container is something like the mobile app, database, client-side desktop application, server-side web application, content store, serverless function, microservice, and a file system. Color coding is a practical approach for the diagram to indicate the existence of a software diagram. Non-technical skills are essential in making human work more efficient and safer.

References

Azad-Manjiri, M. (2014). A new architecture for making moral agents based on C4. 5 decision tree algorithm. International Journal of Information Technology and Computer Science (IJITCS), 6(5), 50-57.

Brown, S. (2016). The art of visualising software architecture: communicating software architecture with sketches, diagrams and the C4 model. Lean Publishing.

Brown, S. (2018). The C4 model for software architecture.

Dai, W., & Ji, W. (2014). A mapreduce implementation of C4. 5 decision tree algorithm. International journal of database theory and application, 7(1), 49-60.

Kirton, T., Boring, S., Baur, D., MacDonald, L., & Carpendale, S. (2013, February). C4: a creative-coding API for media, interaction and animation. In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded and Embodied Interaction (pp. 279-286).

Masuda, Y., & Viswanathan, M. (2019). Enterprise Architecture for Global Companies in a Digital IT Era: Adaptive Integrated Digital Architecture Framework (AIDAF). Springer.

Sthapitanond, N., & Mertens, B. (2012). Architecture of Thailand: A Guide to Tradition and Contemporary Forms. Editions Didier Millet.

The C4 Model for Software Architecture. (2018, June 25). InfoQ. https://www.infoq.com/articles/C4-architecture-model/