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Software → Distributed Systems

Distributed Architecture

An architecture where system responsibilities are spread across multiple networked components or services.

Distributed architecture diagram

Motivation

Distributed architecture solves the problem of building systems whose components run on multiple machines or processes.

Where it fits

It sits between software architecture, distributed systems, and system design.

Mental model

A local function call becomes a network call. That means latency, failure, retries, serialization, consistency, and observability become central design concerns.

Common mistakes

  • Treating remote calls like local calls.
  • Splitting services before boundaries are stable.
  • Ignoring operational cost and failure modes.