00:00:15.360
I am part of the Chicago Ruby community and have been working in startups for a while. I really care about giving back to the community and I'm honored to have the opportunity to share with you what I have learned about architecture as it applies to Rails applications.
00:00:26.640
In this talk, I will discuss the concept of software architecture, which isn't something we often talk about in detail anymore. What I mean by architecture is different from how many people perceive it. We all have various ideas of what architecture really means.
00:00:39.040
I think of architecture as striking a balance between viability in the short term and maintainability in the long term. It's a series of compromises where we strive to deliver a solution that works without excessively focusing on design. However, if we neglect design too much, we risk accumulating technical debt that harms us later.
00:01:03.600
While architecture has a science to it, much of it comes down to technical aesthetics— a sense of beauty and symmetry that develops over time. In the open-source world, there is a pendulum architecture that swings between clarity and agility, fluctuating the amount of design input we apply.
00:01:26.159
This reflects a conflict between big upfront design—often associated with the 'architecture astronaut'—and the flexibility of the 'cowboy coder.' James Gray, who spoke at Ruby Midwest, said that every developer falls somewhere on that spectrum. Let's take a moment to appreciate big upfront design, which, although much maligned, had its reasons. It allowed for long-term road maps and often provided the predictability and maintainability essential for project success.
00:02:03.840
However, when things went wrong, they went wrong spectacularly, usually later in the process, leading to expensive changes. In modern times, we see a shift toward ad hoc architecture with principles guiding our work and many architectural decisions predefined. While this aims to let us focus on what’s termed business logic, it creates a pattern where our designs emerge slowly, often inadvertently, sometimes leading us on paths we’d rather not follow.
00:02:51.840
Rather than concentrating on business logic, we find ourselves bucking conventions because our cases are unique. Take, for example, the five controller verbs in Rails—they may last for a while, but soon enough, inconsistencies creep in. Your simple controller logic becomes cluttered and difficult to manage, complicating your codebase and testing strategies.
00:03:24.480
You might end up with non-persistent models that have no clear place or organization, resulting in a gem file that stretches on endlessly. We find ourselves in a situation where we have dependencies that we don’t fully understand—where legacy code accumulates and becomes a labyrinth that is challenging to navigate. This echoes Caleb Cornman's remark that the user model can resemble a Katamari Damacy, accumulating attributes and methods without any design foresight.
00:03:47.600
To assess if the architecture has degraded, consider how difficult it is to change. If changes yield unpredictable ripples throughout your application, or if parts of your system are so tangled that moving one piece results in a cascade of failures, it’s a signal that your design needs a reevaluation.
00:04:06.560
Change should be manageable, but when a single modification becomes an arduous task, it hints at deeper issues. On a graph plotting time against the difficulty of change, we see that while it's relatively easy to make changes initially, the cost escalates over time. Soon enough, even experienced interns are hesitant to touch the code, fearing the fallout of unexpected problems.
00:04:48.600
We reach a point where faces melt down from stress when realizing the complexity we have built. This situation isn’t solely due to any one person being at fault. Often, it's borne out of a misguided system where practices from previous generations have left shadows over our current work. As systems become interconnected, even simple changes ripple out in unforeseen ways.
00:05:34.720
Modern developers tend to approach issues by relying on popular paradigms without fully understanding their implications. This trend embodies a painting-by-numbers mentality—an over-reliance on standards and conventions rather than distinct, thoughtful decisions. As principles are pigeonholed, design gets muddled and ultimately leads to chaotic solutions.
00:06:01.040
Consequently, when we examine our system as a holistic entity, we might find it hard to distinguish between a functioning application and the sea of code that supports it. The user model grows bloated, merging numerous ideas, becoming unwieldy. Thus, it becomes essential to observe and evaluate the health of your architecture and code—identify areas of complexity and in-sight patterns of behavior that need refactoring.
00:06:40.160
As we reflect on how to deal with legacy code effectively, it’s vital to acknowledge that legacy applications come with intrinsic knowledge. These systems often encapsulate unique edge cases and business logic that inform the ongoing evolution of your software. To treat legacy code as broken is to overlook its intrinsic value—one must regard it as an unfamiliar part of the design process.
00:07:32.160
One method of approaching legacy code is to dismantle monolithic structures, breaking components apart. Start with large classes and break them down into smaller modules. An essential step involves recognizing where to extract functionality and implement behavior, much like repurposing a classic car; engine improvements could lead to better performance.
00:08:06.840
For example, consider using modules effectively, which can encapsulate behavior meaningfully. It's not just about creating clever names, instead focus on clarity and utility. Subsequently, consider leveraging Engines in Rails—these can encapsulate entire MVC stacks and promote reusability throughout your applications.
00:08:36.520
To add a layer of abstraction, think of the Observer pattern for Rails—though it has limitations when it comes to synchronous relationships, applying asynchronous logic through a messaging framework can yield significant benefits. Prioritize processing and persistence as asynchronous services where it's logical to do so, effectively decoupling components.
00:09:16.000
Regarding API design, bear in mind the power of your API as a refactoring tool. You'll often find that, when building out your API, only a few of the methods out of potentially thousands need to be exposed. This selective exposure cultivates cleaner and clearer interactions wherein functionality aligns with actual application requirements.
00:09:52.400
Evaluating your API structure opens up opportunities for communication testing and attributes synchronization. You can establish various clients and interfaces that different models react to, forming dynamic connections, akin to how marketing tests landing pages to see which version resonates more with users.
00:10:30.640
This modular architecture allows applications to interact seamlessly, regardless of their base technology. For instance, use Node.js for lightweight services alongside Rails applications, ensuring the overarching architecture remains robust. The flexibility empowers developers to select tools appropriate for the task and need.
00:11:05.680
Shifting toward decentralized architecture enables developers to be architects—they assume roles across various applications and systems, contributing to a unified vision that would not have been achievable in a monolith. This community approach cultivates good coding practices and enhances development workflows.
00:11:48.160
Despite the pitfalls of legacy code, we see opportunities that can forge creative solutions that benefit all users involved. Maintaining and iterating upon legacy designs yields knowledge and cultural insights that can reinforce teams' effectiveness even as they modernize codebases.
00:12:44.480
Various strategies for updating your work ecosystem can help enhance simplicity and flexibility—this journey necessitates time and diligence. Your outcomes can yield accelerated results from new features and performance optimizations while freeing up resources for future innovation. The goal is to foster a culture of continual improvement fueled by the understanding that architecture is a collaborative endeavor.
00:14:18.160
To conclude, I encourage you to envision architecture not merely as a framework—think of it as a living entity that grows and evolves alongside the applications utilizing it. It’s a responsibility we share as developers, and as we reclaim our roles as architects, we foster a dynamic software environment ripe for true innovation.
00:15:59.440
Thank you for your time and engagement. I hope the insights shared can shed light on your development practices and lead to impactful transformations of your legacy systems. If you're interested in the discussion or have any questions, feel free to reach out. I'm Corey Ehmke on Twitter and would love to hear your thoughts.
