concept#Architecture#Software Engineering#Development Principles#Software Architecture

Coupling & Cohesion

Coupling and cohesion are fundamental principles of software architecture that affect the interaction between modules.

Coupling describes how strongly modules are interconnected, while cohesion refers to the internal consistency of a module.

Maturity

Established

Cognitive loadMedium

Classification

ComplexityMedium
Impact areaTechnical
Decision typeArchitectural
Organizational maturityIntermediate

Technical context

Integrations

DatabasesAPIsCloud platforms

Principles & goals

Principles

High CohesionLow CouplingModular Structure

Value stream stage

Build

Organizational level

Enterprise, Domain, Team

Use cases & scenarios

Use cases

Scenarios

Compromises

Risks

Dynamic in the architecture
Faulty interactions between modules
High dependencies

Best practices

Regular review of the architecture
Involve the entire team
Design simple interfaces

I/O & resources

Inputs

Requirements for the software
Architecture diagrams
Resource allocation

Outputs

Functional software
Improved architecture
High cohesion values

Resources

Description

Coupling describes how strongly modules are interconnected, while cohesion refers to the internal consistency of a module. High cohesion and low coupling are desirable properties that enhance the maintainability and flexibility of software.

✔Benefits

Improved Maintainability
Increased Flexibility
Better Testing

✖Limitations

Can be complex
Requires careful planning
Can lead to overhead

Trade-offs

Metrics

Customer Satisfaction Ratings
Measurement of customer satisfaction with the software.
Turnaround Times for Changes
Time taken to implement changes in the application.
Error Rates
Number of errors that occurred and their impact.

Examples & implementations

E-commerce Platform

A modular e-commerce platform that provides various services through microservices.

Finance Application

A finance application that offers an improved user experience through high cohesion and low coupling.

Content Management System

A module-based system for managing digital content.

Implementation steps

Create architecture diagrams

Document the modules

Train the team

⚠️ Technical debt & bottlenecks

Technical debt

Outdated dependencies
Technical debts in modularization
Insufficient test coverage

Known bottlenecks

Integration bottleneckLack of documentationComplex dependencies

Misuse examples

Neglecting module boundaries
Excessive use of global variables
Poor documentation of modules

Typical traps

Creating too many dependencies
Implementing untested modules
Implementing change requests without analysis

Required skills

Knowledge of software architectureExperience with agile methodologiesSkills in testing

Architectural drivers

Changes in business requirementsTechnological innovationsCompetitive pressure

Constraints

• Budget constraints
• Time constraints
• Technological constraints