← Back to Topics

Architecture Astronauts

The cluster focuses on Joel Spolsky's 'Architecture Astronauts' essay, critiquing over-engineered software architectures while debating the role, importance, and best practices of software architecture.

📉 Falling 0.4x Other
5,303
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#2401
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
11
2008
40
2009
75
2010
78
2011
103
2012
202
2013
121
2014
197
2015
265
2016
260
2017
272
2018
300
2019
391
2020
463
2021
487
2022
576
2023
556
2024
444
2025
430
2026
32

Top Contributors

brudgers (31) mpweiher (22) galfarragem (21) pjmlp (18) eternalban (17)

Keywords

IMHO HN linkedin.com SAFE DP FWIW joelonsoftware.com AC amazon.com CTO architecture architects architect important implementation design waterfall astronauts architectural developers

Sample Comments

wslh • Jan 2, 2019 • View on HN

Thanks, link: https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2001/04/21/dont-let-architect...

Sophira • Sep 12, 2025 • View on HN

Sounds like the work of architecture astronauts: https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2001/04/21/dont-let-architect...

mrleinad • Sep 10, 2022 • View on HN

How do you explain an architecture to other developers?

austin-cheney • Jan 17, 2026 • View on HN

You should be doing architecture regardless of LLMs.

amelius • Nov 7, 2018 • View on HN

Seems like architects have similar urges as software architects :)

gctwnl • Aug 2, 2021 • View on HN

That is probably a good example of the _bad_ architects the article mentions

n1b0m • Jan 4, 2026 • View on HN

This Software Architect would disagree with you :)https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-architects-plumb-why-you...

mrits • Jan 26, 2024 • View on HN

What good is an architecture if you can't make compromises? I'm only half kidding

phkahler • Sep 16, 2025 • View on HN

One reason is the architecture astonauts:https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2001/04/21/dont-let-architect...

astrodust • Sep 13, 2013 • View on HN

You don't always get to choose your architecture. Sometimes it's dictated by other concerns.