In this article, we will be talking about something that is sometimes referred to as computer architecture. This term seems very abstract at first, but I hope you are able to take some insights away from it.

Computer architects design computers by thinking about how processors work, what kinds of memories there should be, and how systems can interact with each other.

They also choose different software engineering strategies like whether or not to use centralized control (like Python) over many individual processes (like MATLAB), and if they should be built using object-oriented programming techniques or not.

There are a lot of steps in creating a well-designed computer system, so having someone who knows how to do their part well is important.

Hardware architecture

As we have seen, computer hardware is made up of three main components: processors, memory, and I/O (input-output).

Processors are the most important part of any computer since they are what actually does the computing!

Intel’s Core i7 processor has four processing cores. Each core can perform very similar functions but with different frequencies or speeds. The faster your computer performs tasks, the more quickly it will complete them.

Memory is used to store information such as documents, apps, and settings. More RAM means you could have more windows open, files, and apps which all use resources in the system.

I/O works like a speaker for your computer. Input devices include keyboards, mice, touch screens, and cameras while output devices include monitors, headphones, and speakers.

Since every program requires some amount of memory and CPU time to run, having enough of both is essential to having an efficient operating system. Software companies design their programs using specifications of these three parts so that users do not have to worry about them.

Operating system architecture

An operating system’s architectural structure is an integral part of how it functions. Just like you have an internal make-up that defines who you are, your OS has something called an “architecture” or “internal structure” that shapes how it operates.

The overall design of the OS dictates what types of tasks it can perform, which features it can offer users, and even what technology companies it will work with.

For example, Microsoft Windows was designed to run software made by other companies. This allowed it to use their advanced tools instead of creating its own, which sometimes didn’t work as well. Linux and macOS don’t require this relationship between OS and third party software, so they’re able to offer better performance due to being more customizable.

Software designed for specific purposes often uses a particular type of computer program language or toolkit to function. These languages and toolkits are typically very hard to change, which helps them become popular.

Some examples of common programming languages include Python, Java, and C++. Commonly used development environments such as Visual Studio and Xcode also tend to be built using one of these languages.

These things all contribute to why most major apps on iOS, Android, and Windows still use JavaScript as their scripting language! (Many people argue that JavaScript is now dead but it definitely isn’t.

Compiler architecture

A compiler is an application that takes source code as input and then processes it to produce new output. Most computer programs are made up of other applications or software, but some special cases exist where the program itself is the output!

A compiler is one such example of this. Take for instance Microsoft’s Word document editor. When you open word documents or sheets in MS Office, what you see is not actually Word – it is instead another standalone piece of software called LibreOffice that has been “compiled” into something usable.

The developers who write compilers do so because they want to create more powerful apps by taking existing apps as inputs and re-processing them. This way, people can use their favorite app as an input and get even more out of it!

In fact, most modern day web browsers like Google Chrome and Firefox are just compiled versions of past browser technology – WebKit (Chrome) and Gecko (Firefox). By studying how these older browsers work, engineers were able to take those projects and add additional features and functionality.

Application program interface (API) architecture

When it comes to software, there are very specific functions that every app has access to. These are called application programming interfaces or APIs for short. An API is an exposed feature of a piece of software, typically in the form of a set of instructions or commands that other programs can use to perform certain tasks.

APIs exist in large software projects, such as Google’s Android operating system, so most people don’t really notice them. But they play a significant role in how well technology works, and how accessible it is for users.

Computer scientists develop good APIs because it gives others permission to reuse the underlying logic or functionality. For example, when you upload a picture using Instagram, their API includes the same function names and syntax as Photoshop! This allows your photo editing software to include these features, reusing part of Instagram’s code.

Database architecture

Choosing a database is not an easy process! There are so many to choose from, with different features that appeal to different people.

It’s hard to know which one is best for your business unless you have experience in databases. Some types of databases are better than others depending on what you want to do with them.

For example, MySQL is a very popular choice as it is free and lots of people use it. However, it can be tricky to get going as there is no intuitive user interface like SQL Server or Oracle.

There are some great online tools that can help you create a MySQL database. They will also help you set up users, permissions and security.

That way you don’t need to worry about these things later!

Another important thing to consider when picking out your database is how much RAM your computer has. If yours doesn’t have enough memory, then the database may run out of space and stop working. Make sure you have at least 2GB per table if possible.

The more tables you have, the bigger the database will become and take up more room, so keep this in mind while choosing a type of database.

Networking architecture

When it comes to computer networking, there are two main types of architectures you will come across. You will typically see one or more of these network architectures in any given setting depending on the type of connection being made.

In this article we will be talking about TCP/IP networks which is the most common form of connectivity used today. These networks begin with a server that hosts content online, and then users connect remotely to access the internet through this host’s interface.

The other type of network architecture is what we refer to as client-server networks. In a client-server network, there is always an active server and passive clients. The clients use the server for resources and content. For example, if someone wants to check their email, they can do so by using a free email service such as Google Mail or Yahoo! Mail via a client-server network.

Here, the server does not hold any messages, instead it just connects passively to the appropriate mail provider website. This way, the user does not have to actively look up or search for their message, it is already found and accessible from the server. Computer networking architectures apply to both mobile devices and regular desktop computers since they rely on similar technology.

Storage architecture

Storing information is what computers do! At its most basic level, storing information means creating an area on your computer that has enough space to hold lots of information. This storage can be internal to your laptop or desktop computer, external hard drives, flash memory cards, and so on.

Computers these days almost always have some sort of internal solid state storage – which are integrated into the motherboard and aren’t attached to anything outside the computer like older hard disks were. Some people refer to this as “built-in storage” or BIS.

These types of devices work differently from ordinary hard disks in ways that make them useful for different applications. For example, RAM (random access memory) works more quickly than normal disk storage, so it’s good for running apps out of time to time, but not long term. SSDs (solid state drives) only use limited amounts of power too, making them great candidates for battery powered devices such as phones and tablets.

File systems

When you want to get something off your computer, you usually use a file system. A file system is how you organize all the bits of data stored on your computer. There are many different ones you can use, and they're mostly interchangeable with each other.

For example, Mac users probably know about their own default HFS+ (Mac OS Extended) filesystem, called Finder.

The cloud

Since the dawn of computing, we have been moving towards an ever-connected world. With every new technology that is released, people are able to access computers via different service providers, from social media sites like Facebook to email programs to use as their main source of communication.

This trend has become more prevalent in recent years due to the growing popularity of online shopping and/or browsing websites or apps via your smartphone. Online shopping was considered something only wealthy families could do before the rise of Amazon and other large, reputable marketplaces.

Now anyone with a credit card can spend hours finding products that match what they want or need while saving money by buying things online. It is also easy to find out about all sorts of things; you no longer have to go into a brick and mortar store to learn how to do something important to yourself or someone else.

With the growth of the internet, there are now many ways to connect to information. This makes it possible to be connected at any time, anywhere. Technology has brought us together, but too often this connection is one sided – even when we think we’re interacting with someone directly, we are actually just seeing content posted on their behalf.

It is our responsibility as users to make sure these connections are two way streets where both parties feel comfortable sharing personal information. Systems designed well will ask for less specific information, but still allow for trust to be built over time.