Baking a delicious cake requires a well-prepared batter, building software is no different. The base or the architecture of the software systems must be carefully thought out to build robust, flexible, and scalable software systems.
Software Architecture can be defined as the overall structure and behavior of the system. The way of managing different aspects of the software system to build a software system can be called software architecture. Implementation design or details, technologies, system design, and infrastructure can be the different aspects of a software system.
Different Tiers in Software Architecture
Single Tier Applications
A single-tiered or monolithic application has the presentation, application logic, and data management into a single unit. In this model, the entire application runs on a single platform, typically on the user's machine.
Two Tier Applications
A two-tiered or client-server application consists of two main tiers: the client tier and the server tier. The client tier handles the user interface and user interaction, while the server tier manages the application logic, business rules, and data management.
Three Tier Applications
A three-tiered application distinguishes the application into three main tiers: the presentation tier, the application tier, and the data tier.
Presentation Tier: Handles the user interface and user interaction.
Application Tier: Implements the application logic and business rules.
Data Tier: Manages data storage and retrieval.
N Tier Applications
An N-tiered application has more than three tiers. In this architectural model, the system is divided into multiple layers or tiers to achieve better separation of concerns, scalability, and maintainability. Each tier handles specific functionalities, such as presentation, application logic, data access, and integration.
Conclusion
The reason to choose a tiered application architecture depends on factors such as the complexity of the system, scalability requirements, performance considerations, and future growth potential. It is important to select the appropriate architecture that is best for the specific needs of the application to be developed.