4 + 1 view model

Overview of the 4 + 1 view architecture model.

The 4 + 1 views - software architecture model is a widespread model of views of a software system that was developed by Philippe Kruchten to "describe the architecture of a software-intensive system on the basis of several competing views".

These views are used to describe the system from the point of view of the various stakeholders, such as end users, developers or project managers. The four views of the model are logical, development, process and physical view (context, building block, distribution and runtime views). In addition, use cases or scenarios can be included in order to better represent the architecture, what the "+1" is supposed to express. It became known with the UML tool Rational Rose .

The 4 + 1 views are:

Logical view : The “logical view” deals with the functionality of the system for the end user. Various UML diagrams are used for representation, including class diagrams , communication diagrams , and sequence diagrams .

Development view : The development view (also implementation view) describes the system from the point of view of a developer and deals with software management. It is represented as a UML component diagram or a package diagram.

Process view : The “process view” deals with the dynamic aspects of the system. It clarifies the processes of the system and how they communicate with regard to the runtime behavior. It should describe parallelism, distribution, integration, performance and scalability. The corresponding UML diagrams include, for example, the activity diagram .

Physical view : The “physical view” (or deployment view) describes the system from the point of view of the system architect. It deals with the distribution of software components on a physical level (i.e. the assignment of these to hardware parts) and the communication between these components. The associated UML diagram is the distribution diagram .

Scenarios : The fifth view is intended to show important use cases or application scenarios . These describe workflows between components or processes and are intended to help identify and illustrate architectural elements and to check the architecture. They also serve as a starting point for initial architecture tests or implementation drafts. As a UML diagram that will use case diagram used.

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b P. B. Kruchten: The 4 + 1 View Model of architecture . In: IEEE software . tape 12 , no. 6 , November 1995, pp. 42–50 , doi : 10.1109 / 52.469759 ( cs.ubc.ca [PDF; accessed on February 23, 2013]).
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e M. Kontio: Architectural Manifesto: Designing Software Architectures. Part 5. Introducing the 4+ 1 View Model. July 22, 2008, accessed February 23, 2013 .

[Kru95-1] P. B. Kruchten: The 4 + 1 View Model of architecture . In: IEEE software . tape 12 , no. 6 , November 1995, pp. 42–50 , doi : 10.1109 / 52.469759 ( cs.ubc.ca [PDF; accessed on February 23, 2013]).

[Kontio05-2] M. Kontio: Architectural Manifesto: Designing Software Architectures. Part 5. Introducing the 4+ 1 View Model. July 22, 2008, accessed February 23, 2013 .