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Mindful Strategies for Quality Software. Think like an expert architect and create quality software using design patterns and principles.
Instructor: Kenny Wong
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Beginner level
Basic Java programming knowledge (ability to read and write Java code and use object-oriented constructs in Java).
(2,798 reviews)
Recommended experience
Beginner level
Basic Java programming knowledge (ability to read and write Java code and use object-oriented constructs in Java).
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In the Software Design and Architecture Specialization, you will learn how to apply design principles, patterns, and architectures to create reusable and flexible software applications and systems. You will learn how to express and document the design and architecture of a software system using a visual notation.
Practical examples and opportunities to apply your knowledge will help you develop employable skills and relevant expertise in the software industry.
Applied Learning Project
The Capstone Project involves a Java-based Android application that you will evaluate and develop throughout the four courses of the Specialization. This application will evolve from a single user app that stores data locally to a multi-user app that stores data remotely. In each course you will be given a Java codebase as a starting point and will have to document and implement new features using your knowledge gained in the course.
Tutorials are provided to help you understand the starter codebase and learn the basics of Android development.
Prerequisites
You are expected to have basic Java programming knowledge. The capstone application will require you to use Android Studio, an integrated development environment. To learn more about Android Studio, please review the tutorials for Windows or Mac.
This course takes Java beginners to the next level by covering object-oriented analysis and design. You will discover how to create modular, flexible, and reusable software, by applying object-oriented design principles and guidelines. And, you will be able to communicate these designs in a visual notation known as Unified Modelling Language (UML).
You will be challenged in the Capstone Project to apply your knowledge of object-oriented design by evolving and documenting the Java codebase for an Android application with corresponding UML documentation. After completing this course, you will be able to: • Apply the Class Responsibility Collaborator (CRC) technique to analyze and design the object-oriented model for a problem. • Explain and apply object-oriented modeling principles and their purpose (e.g., abstraction, encapsulation, decomposition, generalization). • Explain and apply different types of inheritance • Explain the difference between association, aggregation, and composition dependencies. • Express object-oriented models as Unified Modeling Language (UML) class diagrams. • Translate between UML class diagrams and equivalent Java code. • Apply design guidelines for modularity, separation of concerns, information hiding, and conceptual integrity to create a flexible, reusable, maintainable design. • Explain the tradeoff between cohesion and coupling.
This course extends object-oriented analysis and design by incorporating design patterns to create interactive applications. Through a survey of established design patterns, you will gain a foundation for more complex software applications. Finally, you will identify problematic software designs by referencing a catalog of code smells.
You will be challenged in the Capstone Project to redesign an existing Java-based Android application to implement a combination of design patterns. You will also critique a given Java codebase for code smells. After completing this course, you will be able to: • Demonstrate how to use design patterns to address user interface design issues. • Identify the most suitable design pattern to address a given application design problem. • Apply design principles (e.g., open-closed, dependency inversion, least knowledge). • Critique code by identifying and refactoring anti-patterns. • Apply the model-view-controller architectural pattern.
The way that software components — subroutines, classes, functions, etc. — are arranged, and the interactions between them, is called architecture. In this course you will study the ways these architectures are represented, both in UML and other visual tools. We will introduce the most common architectures, their qualities, and tradeoffs. We will talk about how architectures are evaluated, what makes a good architecture, and an architecture can be improved. We'll also talk about how the architecture touches on the process of software development.
In the Capstone Project you will document a Java-based Android application with UML diagrams and analyze evaluate the application’s architecture using the Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM). After completing this course, you will be able to: • Compare and contrast the components, connections, protocols, topologies, constraints, tradeoffs, and variations of different types of architectural styles used in the design of applications and systems (e.g., main program and subroutine, object-oriented, interpreters, pipes and filters, database centric, event-based). • Describe the properties of layered and n-tier architectures. • Create UML ipackage, component, and deployment diagrams to express the architectural structure of a system. • Explain the behaviour of a system using UML activity diagrams. • Document a multi-application system with a layered architecture.
Based on an understanding of architectural styles, you will review architectures for web applications, then explore the basics of Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) in two approaches: Web Services (WS*) and Representational State Transfer (REST) architecture.
In the Capstone Project you will connect a Java-based Android application with Elasticsearch, a web service with a REST application programmer interface (API). After completing this course, you will be able to: • Describe SOA (Service-Oriented Architecture) to structure web-based systems. • Explain WS* services (i.e., SOAP over HTTP, WSDL, UDDI, BPEL). • Apply REST architecture (i.e., JSON over HTTP, URI). • Identify REST design principles. • Create a system using REST interfaces. • Apply microservice architecture.
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Each of the four courses in the Specialization are designed to be completed in 4 weeks; the entire Specialization can be completed in 16 weeks. On average there is one assignment per week for the first 8 weeks (occasionally a week without an assignment will be followed by a week with two assignments). The last 8 weeks average fewer than one assignment per week.
Depending on capacity to complete assignments, we expect learners to finish any of the courses in 3 – 5 weeks.
Familiarity with object-oriented programming structures is essential. Basic Java programming knowledge is expected. Assignments and quizzes will require coding in Java. The capstone application will require you to use Android Studio, an integrated development environment.
If you are intending to complete the entire specialization, it is highly recommended to take the courses in order as material presented in early courses will be referred to in later courses. If you are interested in specific courses, each course can be taken as a standalone course, provided that you are familiar with the content of previous courses.
Software Design Architecture courses are not eligible for university credit.
You will be able to create better software applications and systems that are reusable, flexible, and maintainable, because your software will follow established design principles, patterns, and architectures. You will also be able to communicate to others your software designs and architectures through industry standard visual notations.
This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.
Yes! To get started, click the course card that interests you and enroll. You can enroll and complete the course to earn a shareable certificate, or you can audit it to view the course materials for free. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free. If you cannot afford the fee, you can apply for financial aid.
Financial aid available,