The role of a software architect can vary from organization to organization. You may have also heard of a variety of job titles related to software architects, such as the following:
- Enterprise architect
- Solution architect
- Application architect
- Data architect/Information architect
- Solution architect
- Security architect
- Cloud architect
Some organizations have one or more architects who perform a combination of these roles. They may go by the title of software architect or by the title of one of these roles. In other organizations, different individuals play different architectural roles. Some companies organize their software architects so that they are in an architecture team. They collaborate with the team on architecture tasks but also work on other teams to design and implement software products.
This book does not focus on any one type of software architect. It deals with mostly technical topics, and so is geared toward a number of technical architect roles. Many of the technical, non-technical, and soft skills described in this book are required by more than one type of software architect. Even in organizations that have different types of architects, there is an overlap in their responsibilities and duties. Let's take a closer look at the different types of software architect roles and what they typically mean.