Terminology

2225 terms, tools, patterns and metrics an architect is expected to use precisely. Each one gets a short explanation of what it is, and — where it matters — what it is commonly confused with. Search filters as you type; the column headers sort.

All areas2225 Architecture Fundamentals77 Distributed Systems107 Data Architecture110 Cloud Architecture94 Networking88 API & Integration Architecture82 Reliability & Resilience75 Observability70 Performance & Capacity Engineering72 Security Architecture86 Cost Architecture & FinOps71 Business Architecture67 Architecture Communication67 Enterprise Architecture66 Legacy Modernization71 AI-Era Architecture74 Software Architecture & Engineering71 Architecture Patterns71 Architecture Decision-Making63 The Architect's Meta-Skills61 Delivery & Release Engineering66 Platform Engineering & Developer Experience70 Testing & Quality Architecture66 Data Platform Architecture69 Streaming & Real-Time Data69 Data Governance & Semantics74 Frontend & Experience Architecture66 Edge, Mobile & IoT68 Regulatory & Data Protection Architecture65 Assurance, Audit & Model Risk69

Kind Any concept801 practice736 pattern377 metric127 case-study77 tool62 protocol45

5 terms shown.

Term	Kind	Topic	What it is
Irreversible Operation Guard Soft Delete Window, Two-Person Destructive Control	pattern	Segregation of Duties	The set of design choices that make a destructive action recoverable by default - a delay before permanence, a type check on the target, and a second approver for bulk effects.
Partial Deployment Verification Artefact Completeness Check, Fleet Convergence Verification	practice	Segregation of Duties	Machine confirmation that every target in a fleet is running the intended artefact, independently checked, so that an incomplete rollout cannot present itself as a finished one.
Segregation of Duties SoD, Separation of Duties	concept	Segregation of Duties	Ensuring no single individual can both initiate and approve a sensitive action, so that fraud or error requires collusion.
Single-Credential Test Can One Credential Do Both, Segregation Reality Check	practice	Segregation of Duties	Asking whether any single credential - including a database administrator, a root account or a deployment pipeline - can both initiate and approve a movement of value, which distinguishes a real segregation co…
Toxic Combination	concept	Segregation of Duties	A pair of permissions that is acceptable individually and dangerous together, which is what a segregation-of-duties model exists to identify.