9 Software Architecture Patterns EVERY Developer Should Know

Software architecture patterns form the backbone of modern application development.

They guide how components are structured, interact, and evolve—helping your system stay flexible, scalable, and easier to maintain.

Because no single approach fits every scenario, different patterns are designed to address different needs.

In this article, we will cover the 9 most common software architectural patterns that every developer should know.

---

📣 Design, develop and manage distributed software better (Sponsored)

Multiplayer's System Dashboard auto-discovers, tracks, and documents your entire system architecture—from its components to APIs, dependencies, and environments. Gain real-time, comprehensive visibility into your system, all at a glance.

---

1. Client-Server Architecture

The Client-Server model stands as one of the oldest and most fundamental architectural patterns in computing.

It separates a system into two distinct components: clients, which request services or resources, and servers, which fulfill those requests.

Visualized using Multiplayer

The client is responsible for presenting data to the end-user and collecting user input. In contrast, the server focuses on performing data processing, executing application logic, and managing data storage.

Clients and servers often interact over a network (e.g., the internet or a private intranet). This means that the server could be anywhere in the world, while the client might be a smartphone, a browser, or a desktop application.

Example: Every time you open a website—like an e-commerce platform—your browser acts as the client. It requests product pages, images, and pricing data from the server. The server responds with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files, which the browser assembles into the user-facing interface.

2. Layered Architecture

A layered architecture organizes your system into layers, each layer responsible for one major aspect of the application.

Visualized using Multiplayer

For instance, a simple three-layered design might include:

• Presentation Layer: Handles UI and user interactions.

• Business Layer: Manages application logic and domain rules.

• Data Layer: Interacts with databases or external services.

Each layer provides a set of services or functionalities to the layer above it. The presentation layer does not need to know how the data is stored—it just calls the business layer, which in turn interacts with the data layer.

These boundaries result is a design that encourages separation of concerns, testability, maintainability, and clarity of the codebase.

It’s a pattern you’ll find frequently in large enterprise applications and legacy systems, as well as modern distributed applications.

---

This article is for paid subscribers. As a paid subscriber you get an exclusive deep dive every week + other premium benefits.

---

3. Microkernel Architecture Pattern