The Path to Becoming a Software Architect

There are several career paths a developer might take:

● The first and obvious one is to grow in the area in which you are working . If you are a junior developer, then become to middle, then senior and lead roles.

● Transition to another technology stack . A significant number of developers moved into the mobile area when iOS and Android OS gained ground.

● Become a software architect . This direction will be considered in this series of articles.

● Get out of IT . Sometimes this happens. It is never too late to do what you like to do.

To begin with, it is requisite to define milestone goals that lead to achieving your strategic goal of becoming a software architect. For me, such goals for the next six months are:

● Understand and try several technological stacks . My current knowledge is concentrated in the field of iOS. It is necessary to try Android, several server languages, to start python, and refresh Java EE skills. The architect is a full-stack developer, so it is essential to have a broad technical knowledge.

First, let’s consider the characteristics of the architect :

● Communicability . Having talked with many software architects, I heard that it is one of the essential characteristics of this specialist. During the working day, they have to speak with customers in the language of business, managers of all levels, business analysts, and developers. If you have a natural charisma and you know how to convince people, then this will be a huge plus, as it is crucial to explain your actions correctly. Architects are laconic, eloquent, and competent speakers.

● Stress resistance . You will have to make decisions because in this role, you will be asked to do so, and you will need a response. You will be working with different people from different areas, and you will have to deal with rapidly changing demands or even with changing business environments. Therefore, it is necessary to be ready for stress and to look for some ways to escape negative emotions. Work is always more pleasant when it brings pleasure. So if you choose this role only for the money, then think again.

● Broad and deep technical knowledge . It should be obvious since one cannot become a software architect with a medical background. Besides, the architect usually has expertise in several technological stacks at a decent level and should have a good understanding of a few other ones. The software architect should also be prepared to compose a large number of technical documentation, reports, and diagrams.

● Management skills . This includes both organizational and leadership skills. The ability to lead a team, which may be distributed and composed of very different specialists, is essential.

● Responsibility . You should understand that architect decisions are usually the most expensive. Therefore, a person in this position should take the most responsible approach to his work and the decisions made. If the developer’s error costs a couple of days of work of one person, then the architect’s mistake can cost person-years on complex projects!