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Architecture Milestone

Due Date

Due Date: October 22
Grading: Team

Lectures

You must watch the Architecture lecture before working on this milestone.

Description

Now that you are comfortable working with your chosen framework, you will write a document that roughly describes the big parts of your code. The structure will depend a lot on your chosen framework.

If you are building a webapp then you will probably list the set of database tables (models, for example: rails:ActiveRecords, meteor:Collections, etc), the set Views, and the set of Controllers. For webapps you should also list the of your URLs app, and what lives at each one.

If you are building an Android app then you will list your Activities or Fragments, along with their corresponding Views, as well as your model Java classes. You will also list your database tables (firebase, sqlite, localStorage, etc) if you need persistence, which almost everyone does.

Think deeply about your design. Go over the most common use-cases and check how those will be accomplished in code: which methods will be invoked? do the methods have references to all the objects they need in order to perform their job? Remember that your main goal is de-coupling* the various classes: the fewer references (method arguments, global variables) they need, the easier your life will be.

Deliverables

Add an Architecture document to the wiki. It should contain:

  1. List all the languages/frameworks/libraries/services/APIs you plan to use. Explain how they will tie together. For example: This will be a native Android app written in Kotlin, using the android.graphics library, using firebase real-time database for cloud data, and firebase authentication for user accounts.
  2. What package/build manager will you use? npm, gradle, yarn, flutter, pipenv, etc.
  3. List what each person will work on. Everyone must make significant code contributions, or they will fail the class, see Syllabus.
  4. Make sure all the images (if any) are embedded in the wiki page and hosted at GitHub.
  5. Make sure the wiki page is easy to read.

If you are building a webapp:

  1. Deployment How will you deploy? Which hosting provider(s)? Automation? Scripts? Explain.

  2. Are you using Virtual Machines (vmware, vbox, etc) or Containers (docker) for development or deployment? Explain.

  3. Is it a SPA or traditional? or mix? Explain. (My web application development lectures explain the difference.)

  4. List of URLs you will implement. Explain any search arguments in English. Link (actual hyperlink) each URL to the page it shows in your Detailed Design milestone.

  5. If implementing a REST API, document it. List all methods, parameters, and give English description of what they do.

  6. The Views of your app. Embed the images from your Design Milestone. Typically, a webpage includes multiple views. For example, this webpage has a Header, Menu, and Content views (at least).

  7. The Database schema: set of tables/documents with list of attributes and their types. Describe each table and attribute in English.

  8. List of common queries you expect will be needed. Do any of then need to join tables?

If you are building a mobile or desktop app:

  1. Release: How will you create and deliver a binary to testers? Explain. Note that the testers include us (the teachers of this class, when we grade your app). You must deliver a simple to install app: double-click to install.

  2. Are you using Virtual Machines (vmware, vbox, etc) or Containers (docker) for development? If so, explain.

  3. The Models for your app. These could be UML class diagrams, or just models with attributes (with type) and descriptions (in English).

  4. How will your app maintain state? in memory? or database? or both? Note this in your Model Classes.

  5. If you are using a db-backend (say firebase) then include the Database schema: set of tables/documents with list of attributes and their types.

  6. List of common queries you expect will be needed. Do any of then need to join tables?

  7. The Views of your app: name, describe. Embed the images from your Design Milestone. Typically, one page in the app is composed of multiple View elements.

Do not make any changes to the wiki pages used for this milestone after the deadline. Wait until after you receive the grade for the milestone to make any further changes to these pages.

Grading Rubric

Grade is 100 minus the total points lost, with minimum of 0. See grading scale in Syllabus. Points lost for each area are:

Frameworks, Libraries, APIs, etc.

Excellent (0-10 points lost): Lists all software used. Explains how each one is used.

Good (11-20 points): Lists all software used.

Bad (21-35 points): Is missing some software that will be required.

Failed (> 35 points): Nothing shown.

URL space (if applicable)

Excellent (0-10 points lost): Most URLs shown. Parameters shown.

Good (11-20 points): Some URLS shown
Some or no parameters show.

Bad (21-35 points): Few URLs shown. Few or no parameters

Failed (> 35 points): Nothing shown.

Model/Schema

Excellent (0-10 points lost): Most Entities named and described. Most attributes named, typed, described.

Good (11-20 points): Some Entities named and described. Some attributes named, typed, described.

Bad (21-35 points): Few Entities named and described. Few or no attributes *named, typed, described.

Failed (> 35 points): Nothing shown.

Views

Excellent (0-10 points lost): Most views named.

Good (11-20 points): Some views named.

Bad (21-35 points): Few views named.

Failed (> 35 points): Nothing.

Quality of Document

Excellent (0-10 points lost): Everything explained well. Easy to understand.

Good (11-20 points): Some explanations.

Bad (21-35 points): Minimal explanations.

Failed (> 35 points): No explanations.

Last update: August 11, 2023