**System design** is a critical aspect of software development that involves defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and data for a system to satisfy specified requirements.

At its core, system design is the process of **translating business needs into technical solutions**. 

It involves a systematic approach to understanding the requirements of a system and organizing the elements of the system in a coherent way. 

The goal is to **create a blueprint that guides the development process**, helping to visualize how different components interact and ensuring that the system meets the desired quality attributes.

What is the primary goal of system design?

Software architecture is essential for building scalable, maintainable, and high-performing software systems. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to core design principles and practices, covering both high-level and low-level concepts. We will explore key architectures and modern development techniques, gaining the skills needed to design effective solutions for real-world projects.

Now you will be introduced to the core principles of system design and why it plays a critical role in software development. You will explore what system design entails, including the process of planning and structuring software to meet business and technical requirements. Key components such as architecture, scalability, performance, and security will be covered to provide a solid foundation for evaluating and building effective systems. You will also learn the distinction between high-level design (which focuses on the overall system structure) and low-level design (which deals with detailed components like classes, methods, and data structures).

Here you will explore various architectural patterns that define the overall structure of software systems, including monolithic architecture, service-oriented architecture (SOA), microservices, and onion architecture. You will analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and learn when to apply them in different scenarios. By the end of this section, you'll have a solid understanding of high-level design principles that can guide your software development decisions.

Let's dive into low-level design concepts, focusing on the creation of class diagrams to represent system structure and the design of efficient methods and functions for reusability. You will also explore various data structures and best practices for database design, equipping you with the skills to build detailed and effective software designs that enhance system performance and maintainability.

This section introduces modern design methodologies, including Test-Driven Development (TDD), where you'll learn to write tests before code to ensure reliability. You'll also explore Domain-Driven Design (DDD), focusing on aligning software with business domains, and Behavior-Driven Development (BDD), which emphasizes collaboration and user-centered design through behavior-based testing. These approaches will provide practical techniques to enhance software quality and business alignment.

Software Architecture Fundamentals

What is System Design