togaf

Understanding architecture vs solution in TOGAF


I read some TOGAF documents, and see many places mentioned "architecture" and "solution". For example architecture continuum and solution continuum, architecture building block and solution building block. But I don't quite understand what's the differences between them in TOGAF.


Solution

  • As Per Togaf Documentation for Togaf 9:

    Architecture 1. A formal description of a system, or a detailed plan of the system at component level, to guide its implementation (source: ISO/IEC 42010: 2007). 2. The str ucture of components, their inter-relationships, and the principles and guidelines governing their design and evolution over time.

    It doesn't provide formal definition of SOLUTION.

    In layman terms, Architecture is an abstract view of solution. It can be a superset or group of solutions. A solution is a more concrete representation of a problem while architecture represents wider picture of a system.