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World Congress 2023 • Sep 21, 2023

There is no such thing as future-proof architecture! Here is how to prepare for it.

Eberhard Wolff

Want to avoid building tomorrow's unmaintainable legacy system today? Stop trying to future-proof your architecture. Defer rigid technical choices and embrace iterative, domain-driven design instead.

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#1 about 2 min

Analyzing the concept of future-proof architecture

The common assumption that software architecture is hard to change leads to the false goal of absolute future-proofing.

#2 about 4 min

Learning from failed upfront migration strategies

A real-world example demonstrates how strict upfront technical plans limit a team's ability to support evolving business goals.

#3 about 4 min

Three reasons why software architecture must be iterative

Domain models mature, functional requirements pivot, and developer skills improve over time, demanding an iterative architectural approach.

#4 about 5 min

Postponing technical decisions via domain prototyping

Committing to architecture only at the last responsible moment reduces complexity and allows teams to focus entirely on domain logic.

#5 about 5 min

Balancing YAGNI with long-term project goals

While big design upfront is harmful, extreme YAGNI can blind teams to known future requirements when navigating step-by-step tasks.

#6 about 5 min

Embracing architectural evolution and historical debt

Accepting iterative adjustments rather than forcing a rigid final state naturally creates functioning systems with visible historical inconsistencies.

#7 about 4 min

Aligning system structure with domain-driven design

Software architecture structures should fundamentally reflect domain logic rather than relying exclusively on generic technical patterns.

#8 about 4 min

Evaluating the business value of modern framework migrations

Decoupling domain logic from underlying frameworks provides limited value when both the technology and logic typically demand simultaneous rewriting.

#9 about 2 min

Summarizing the core principles of iterative architecture

Future-proof computing is an impossible goal, making architectural adaptability and domain-driven implementations the most reliable engineering strategy.

Matching moments

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How the inevitable march of time breaks software patterns

Peter Kröner Peter Kröner · World Congress 2023

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Developer transition to architecture and finops automation

Mustafa Toroman · World Congress 2023

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Balancing architectural trade-offs without silver bullets

Florian Lenz Florian Lenz · World Congress 2024

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Acknowledging the inevitability of software evolution and technology migrations

Luisa Rink Luisa Rink +1 · World Congress 2026 Europe

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Dealing with outgrown assumptions in successful software systems

Stefan Priebsch · World Congress 2021

2:01 min

Optimizing software architecture for reversibility and risk management

Aminata Sidibe Aminata Sidibe · Europe 2026 Virtual

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