How to Become a Software Architect in 2024

Indeed, when an individual decides to build a career in the Software Development field, there is one thing that always comes to his mind – How the career will progress, and what will be future opportunities? However, there are various worthwhile career opportunities after spending an adequate amount in the tech domain. And among all those options, one of the most considerable and impactful profiles is Software Architect! 

As per the reports, Software Architect is one of the most demanding jobs in recent years, and considering the expansion of the IT industry (particularly the Development domain), the future of Software Architects seems bright!!

Before moving further, let’s take a look at the basics first:

Who is a Software Architect?

A Software Architect is an IT professional who has expertise in Software Development, and he collaborates with various teams for the overall effective execution of the processes whether it be designing or development or implementation of software solutions. In general, a Software Architect makes crucial high-level software design choices and work on various aspects such as determine required technologies for the development team, carry out technical standards, etc. to build worthwhile software systems or solutions as per the needs of the client.

Roles & Responsibilities

A Software Architect can be responsible for various roles & responsibilities in an organization such as:

• Communicates with clients to identify software requirements and other needs.
• Comes up with optimal technical standards, tools, processes, etc. for the project.
• Leads the team of developers and distributes the development tasks accordingly.
• Collaborates with other teams, end-users, etc. to deliver high-quality software solutions.
• Works on Code Reviewing, Documentation, Troubleshooting, and other related areas, etc.

As of now, you have already become aware of the Software Architect job profile. Now let’s get back to the main concern – How to Become a Software Architect?

How to Become a Software Architect?

Now let’s go through the complete roadmap of a Software Architect that you need to follow to build a successful & worthwhile career in this domain:

1. Start with the Academics

If you’re considering becoming a Software Architect, the first and foremost thing you need to do – get enrolled yourself for the relevant study program. You can look forward to possessing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science / Information Technology or other related domain as it will not only make your fundamentals stronger but will also make you eligible for many ravishing career opportunities in various IT giants. Moreover, along with the degree or educational background, you can opt for several specific training programs, boot camps, etc. as well to get more proficiency & exposure in the Software Architect domain.

2. Get Proficient with Programming Languages

To start your career as a Software Architect, you’re always required to have a sound knowledge of programming languages & frameworks. As a Software Architect, you’re not solely responsible to do coding the entire day but you’re required to lead the team of developers, collaborate with other teams, review code, etc. hence you must have a thorough understanding of programming concepts and paradigms. Meanwhile, you can start to learn programming with various demanding programming languages such as C++, Python, Ruby, Go, etc. Also, you can opt to build several minor projects and can participate in various coding challenges to boost your programming skills.

3. Enter the IT World as a Software Developer

As mentioned above, Software Architect is not an entry-level career domain and can be considered as one of the succeeding positions of a Software Developer, hence you’re strongly recommended to gain an adequate amount of hands-on experience on a developer’s profile. Meanwhile, apart from the coding skills, you need to understand & work upon several other crucial aspects as a developer to become a Software Architect such as teamwork & task allotment, SDLC phases of the project, requirement analysis from clients, etc. It will help you to understand the entire functioning of the development field from designing to deployment that will further make it easier for you to get into the Software Architect domain.

4. Gain Sound Knowledge of System Design, DevOps, etc.

Once you’ll get entered into the Software Development field and become proficient with programming languages & frameworks, now it’s time for you to work on your goal (i.e., to become a Software Architect) and accordingly learn & upgrade your skills to achieve the target. Needless to say, a Software Architect is responsible for many tasks hence, you’re required to get familiar with several crucial domains such as System Design, Development Operations or DevOps, etc. You need to have a deep understanding of Design Patterns & Architecture, Fundamentals of Data Modeling, Unified Modeling Language (UML), and other related concepts to start your career as a Software Architect. 

5. Get Relevant Certifications

Furthermore, let’s discuss several renowned certifications for aspiring Software Architects. These certifications not only validates your skills & learnings but also offer you to gain some practical exposure. Apart from this, possessing these certifications can help you to get various career opportunities in IT giants. Moreover, there are numerous prestigious certifications that you can consider to obtain as per your niche whether it be Solution, Enterprise, and Domain Architecture.

Some of these certifications are – ISAQB Software Architecture – Foundation LeveL, CITA-P: Certified IT Architect, ITIL Master (Axelos), AZURE Architect certification, and many more.

6. Work On Required Soft Skills

How can we forget that?? Indeed, having appropriate & relevant soft skills are as crucial as having technical skills to become a successful Software Architect. Firstly, you’re required to have good communication skills as you have to collaborate with clients, developers, other teams for the smooth functioning of the processes. Moreover, you need to have good problem-solving skills to come with innovative & optimal solutions for the problems. Apart from these, you’re required to work on several other crucial soft-skills such as Time Management, Leadership, Team Player, etc. for being a proficient Software Architect.

So, these are several major approaches that you need to follow to become a Software Architect. Indeed, the career path of becoming a Software Architect is not so easy and it may take you a few years of experience to get into the particular field, but it is needless to say that every step of this journey has its worth.

Best Books on Software Architect

Meanwhile, there are several recommended books mentioned below that can help you to become a Software Architect:  

• Fundamentals of Software Architecture
• Software Architecture in Practice
• Domain-Driven Design: Tackling Complexity in the Heart of Software
• Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, the Software Architect job profile has a lot more to offer you. Now, what are you waiting for? Do follow the above-mentioned approaches and start to learn the required skills to become a successful Software Architect!!