Model of the arch

The model of the arch is an owner of software architecture introduces in 1992 to structure the interactive software. Like the Model of Seeheim, it primarily aims at fixing a vocabulary to analyze architectures of the applications and to think of their evolutions: how, for example, to replace an graphical interface by a vocal interface by leaving unchanged the greatest possible part of the software.

Components of the arch

The model of the arch stipulates that an interactive application is consisted of the five following parts:

the functional Core, which contains the data and the treatments handled by the program. Examples: the text and its page layout in a word processing, data of flight plan in a software of air control.

the adapter of the functional core, a layer which ensures the mediation between the functional core and the following part, the controller of dialog. The goal is to manage the divergences between the functional core and the interface: differences in typing, even differences in structure.

the controller of dialog, which manages the sequencing of the tasks. It receives complete orders without knowing how they were produced. It chooses which are the data of the functional core which must be presented to a given moment.

the logical presentation, which ensures the mediation between the controller of dialog and the following part, physical presentation.

the physical presentation, which includes the peripherals of interaction and the software components of interaction, for example the mouse and dialog boxes.

The " parts; adapter of core fonctionnel" and " logique" presentation; have as a role to ensure independence between the other parts. They correspond to the lines of program which must be written to re-use a functional core with a new interface, or to carry an interactive software on a new operating system.

The Slinky model

The Arch-Slinky model is a refinement of the model of the arch. Compared to the model of the arch, Slinky specifies that the size of the parts is variable and can be null according to the situations.

Role

Just like the Model of Seeheim, the model of the arch is an owner:

abstract: it does not specify how to carry out the various parts and their interconnections by using constructions available in the computer programming languages.

high level
: it applies to the analysis of the software to a macroscopic grain, on the level of the module, library or process. There exist abstract models moreover low level, intended for the analysis with microscopic grain, the level of the function or class (see MVC and CAP).

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