原文出處：http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/cn/rational/rationaledge/content/mar06/eeles/

總結如下：

一，關于架構的定義，不同的組織都有各自的定義
1，架構是在組件之間以及與環境之間的關系。[IEEE 1471]
??? Architecture is the fundamental organization of a system embodied in its components, their relationships to each other, and to the environment, and the principles guiding its design and evolution.

2，架構是對軟件系統組織，結構部分和系統包含接口的選擇，集合部分的特定行為，較大子系統部分的構成和架構風格的重大決定的設置。
?? An architecture is the set of significant decisions about the organization of a software system, the selection of structural elements and their interfaces by which the system is composed, together with their behavior as specified in the collaborations among those elements, the composition of these elements into progressively larger subsystems, and the architectural style that guides this organization -- these elements and their interfaces, their collaborations, and their composition. [Kruchten]

3，系統或計算機的軟件架構是包含軟件部分，外部可見特性部分，和他們之間關系的系統結構。
?? The software architecture of a program or computing system is the structure or structures of the system, which comprise software elements, the externally visible properties of those elements, and the relationships among them. [Bass et al.]⁵
4，[架構]是系統的組織結構和相關行為。架構可被重復分解為通過接口，互聯部分的關系和結合部相互作用的部分。通過接口相互作用的部分包括類，組件和子系統。
??? [UML 1.5]⁶?? [Architecture is] the organizational structure and associated behavior of a system. An architecture can be recursively decomposed into parts that interact through interfaces, relationships that connect parts, and constraints for assembling parts. Parts that interact through interfaces include classes, components and subsystems. [UML 1.5]⁶

5，軟件架構或系統由組成系統的結構的相互作用和軟件結構的重要設計決定組成。設計決定應成功實現所期望支持的質量。設計決定為系統開發，支持和維護提供概念上的基礎。
?? The software architecture of a system or a collection of systems consists of all the important design decisions?about the software structures and the interactions between those structures that comprise the systems. The design decisions support a desired set of qualities that the system should support to be successful. The design decisions provide a conceptual basis for system development, support, and maintenance. [McGovern]⁷
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二，架構的組成和作用
1，一個架構定義結構
2，一個架構定義行為
3，一個架構關注于重要元素
4，一個架構可以平衡涉眾需求
5，一個架構基于基本原理體現決策
6，一個架構可以符合一個架構樣式。
7，一個架構被其環境所影響
8，一個架構影響團隊結構
9，一個架構呈現在每個系統中
10，一個架構擁有特定的范圍