Merge pull request #267 from incubyte/blog/architechture-insights-from-gids-2025

feat: Added blog Architecture insights from GIDS 2025

Author: malhotra-anita

content/blog/architecture-insights-from-gids-2025.md

@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
++++
+title = "Beyond Blueprints: Architecture Insights from GIDS 2025"
+slug = "architecture-insights-from-gids-2025"
+date = 2025-06-25T16:04:17+05:30
+image = "/images/2025/architecture-insights-from-gids-2025/architecture-insights.png"
+draft = false
+authors = ["Anita Malhotra"]
+description = ""
+tags = ["Software Architecture", "Agile Architecture", "Learnings"]
+categories = ["Software Architecture", "Agile Architecture", "Learnings"]
+type = "blog"
++++
+
+What does it really take to design software that lasts?
+
+As a senior developer, that question is always on my mind and [GIDS 2025](https://developersummit.com) offered some fresh perspectives and practical answers. Architecture was a recurring theme across many sessions — not just as a technical role, but as a way of thinking.
+
+Here are some of the most impactful takeaways I brought back from GIDS, especially around modern architectural practices, mindsets, and the evolving role of architects.
+
+### 🧠 Architecture Is About Trade-Offs, Not Just Design
+
+A consistent message across sessions was that architecture isn't about finding the perfect solution. It's about navigating **trade-offs**. Whether you're choosing between scalability and speed to market, or reliability and cost — every decision an architect makes is about **balancing competing forces**.
+
+_“There’s no such thing as a perfect architecture - only fit-for-context decisions.”_
+
+What really sets great architects apart is their ability to stay comfortable with uncertainty, ask the right questions, and make thoughtful decisions by working closely with others.
+
+### 👥 The Solution Architect as a Bridge Builder
+
+A strong message that resonated throughout the event was this: architecture is fundamentally a **people-centric role**.
+
+Good architects:
+
+- Speak the language of both developers and business stakeholders.
+- Work with teams, not above them.
+- They don’t treat architecture as something done in isolation - instead, they guide discussions, help align everyone’s goals, and support teams in getting things done together.
+
+It was a good reminder that architecture isn’t a one-time handoff — it’s a continuous, team-driven process.
+
+### 🔁 Agile Architecture: Responding to Change, Not Resisting It
+
+In the session on **Agile Architecture**, the idea that stood out was how architectural decisions should be **reversible, incremental, and lightweight** where possible.
+
+Architects need to:
+
+- **Design with future changes in mind**, not just to get things done now.
+- **Plan just enough at the start**, and let the rest evolve as you learn during delivery.
+- **Set clear directions and limits**, but don’t over-specify every detail.
+
+This way of thinking helps teams build systems that are more flexible and easier to change — which is exactly what Agile is all about, even at the architecture level.
+
+### 🕸️ Architectural Styles: Pick What's Right, Not What's Trendy
+
+There were deep dives into various architectural styles — microservices, event-driven, serverless, modular monoliths. A refreshing insight was that **no style is “best”**.
+
+_“Architecture should follow your domain, team maturity, and business goals — not hype.”_
+
+An example shared was how a **modular monolith** might be a better starting point than microservices for a small team looking to move fast with high cohesion.
+
+This was a reminder that **architectural decisions must be context-aware**, not copy-pasted from big tech patterns.
+
+### 🔎 Architectural Thinking Is for Everyone
+
+Another takeaway: **you don’t need to have “Architect” in your title to think like one.**
+
+As developers, testers, and team leads - we all make architectural decisions daily:
+
+- Deciding how different parts of the system should talk to each other.
+- Designing features in a way that matches how the business works.
+- Knowing when and how to scale as the system grows.
+
+Adopting an **architectural mindset** - being intentional, aware of trade-offs, and focusing on long-term maintainability - is everyone's responsibility.
+
+### 🧰 Tools, Techniques & Visuals That Help
+
+Some practical approaches shared at GIDS that help teams make better architectural decisions:
+
+- **ADR (Architecture Decision Records)** – for documenting important design choices and the reasons behind them.
+- **Trade-off Matrices** – to help weigh options like consistency vs. availability or scalability vs. simplicity.
+- **Root Cause Analysis** – for learning from failures and identifying deeper architectural issues.
+- **Team Topologies** – to align tech decisions with how teams work and how the product fits in the big picture.
+
+These tools help teams move beyond guesswork. They encourage clearer decision-making, shared understanding, and better long-term outcomes.
+
+### Final Thoughts
+
+GIDS 2025 reinforced that architecture is not about perfection - it’s about direction. It’s about aligning technology with purpose, people, and pace. It’s about designing systems that work - and ensuring everyone understands how and why they work.
+
+If you’re in a development role and wondering when to “become an architect,” the best place to start is by thinking like one: **with context, collaboration, and intent.**

content/blog/tdd-assessment.md

@@ -55,12 +55,10 @@ With that, let's jump right in!
    ```cpp
    int add(string numbers)
    ```
-
    - **Input:** a string of comma-separated numbers
    - **Output:** an integer, sum of the numbers
 
    **Examples:**
-
    - **Input:** "", **Output:** 0
    - **Input:** "1", **Output:** 1
    - **Input:** "1,5", **Output:** 6
@@ -70,12 +68,10 @@ With that, let's jump right in!
 3. Allow the `add` method to handle new lines between numbers (instead of commas). (`"1\n2,3"` should return `6`)
 
 4. Support different delimiters:
-
    - To change the delimiter, the beginning of the string will contain a separate line that looks like this: `"//[delimiter]\n[numbers…]"`.
      For example, `"//;\n1;2"` where the delimiter is `";"` should return `3`.
 
 5. Calling `add` with a negative number will throw an exception: `"negative numbers not allowed <negative_number>"`.
-
    - If there are multiple negative numbers, show all of them in the exception message, separated by commas.
 
 > Want more? Check out [TDD Kata 1](https://osherove.com/tdd-kata-1/) for the full version. **Extra points** for completing all the steps!