Architecture Quote by Anonymous
““The behavior of each component is part of the architecture insofar as that behavior can be observed or discerned from the point of view of another component [9]. In other words, a component is defined by its interface and the services it provides to other components, rather than by its implementation behind the interface. Parnas [101] would define this as the set of assumptions that other architectural elements can make about the component.””
About This Quote
Source Paper: Software Architecture Principles, 1995
Components are defined by their interfaces and the services they expose, not by internal implementation, allowing other parts to rely on observable behavior.
In simple terms: Components are defined by what they do, not how they work inside.
Design interfaces first, hide implementation details.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- system integration
- API design
- component testing
- team collaboration
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you verify a component’s contract?
- What risks arise if implementations change silently?
Assumes all components correctly document behavior, which may not hold.