Steven Smith, also known in the developer community as Ardalis, is an entrepreneur, author, and software architect with a deep passion for building effective, maintainable software. Through his company, NimblePros, Steve helps organizations — ranging from household names like Microsoft and Quicken Loans to growing teams across industries — maximize their development potential. His clients frequently describe him as a “force multiplier,” amplifying the productivity and impact of the teams he supports.
Steve has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for over two decades and continues to lead through education and mentorship. He’s published numerous courses on Pluralsight and Dometrain, focusing on topics like domain-driven design, software architecture, and design patterns. He also empowers developers through his mentorship platform, DevBetter.com, helping the next generation of professionals grow their careers with intention and clarity.
Topics of Discussion:
[2:28] What keeps Steve excited about computer programming and software architecture?
[4:42] What is software architecture?
[6:18] The importance of understanding the logical components of a software system and how they interact.
[7:06] Artifacts for architecture decisions.
[8:52] How lightweight documentation and diagrams, like those in the C4 Model, can clarify system design without overburdening the team.
[10:53] The modern architecture books that have caught Steve’s eye.
[12:57] The KISS principle and keeping software architecture simple.
[19:38] Clean architecture and domain-driven design principles.
[22:52] Managing out-of-process dependencies and service integrations.
[26:07] Adapter pattern and interface abstractions.
[28:33] Decorator pattern for adding functionality.
[33:14] Pipeline Architecture.
[40:35] What Steve thinks the future holds for AI-driven development, what he uses it for, and the challenges of AI currently.
Mentioned in this Episode:
Clear Measure Way
Architect Forum
Software Engineer Forum
Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at programming@palermo.net.
Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor)
“Steve Smith: .NET 8 and Architecture” - Episode 276
NimblePros
Architect Modern Web Applications with ASP.NET Core and Azure
C4 Model
“Simon Brown on Architecture for Developers - Episode 96”
Fundamentals of Software Architecture, by Mark Richards & Neal Ford, summarized as a platform-agnostic, principle-driven guide
.NET Rocks! “Architecture vs. Code with Steve Smith”
.NET Rocks! “Vertical Slice Architecture with Jeremy Miller”
GoF Adapter pattern
.NET API interface estimate
Decorator patternBus Vs. Pipeline patterns
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