Kirk Knoernschild

Software Developer & Mentor

Kirk Knoernschild
 

Kirk is software developer with a passion for building great software. He takes a keen interest in design, architecture, application development platforms, agile development, and the IT industry in general, especially as it relates to software development. His recent book, Java Application Architecture was published in 2012, and presents 18 patterns that help you design modular software.

Presentations

Modularity: The Foundation of Modern Architectures

Tuesday, 10:30 AM EST

The architecture paradigms we’re using are changing. The platforms we deploy our software to are changing. We are confronted with several new architecture paradigms to choose from, such as microservices and miniservices. Should we automatically discard some of the proven architectures we’ve used in the past, including more traditional web services? Likewise, new platforms, such as cloud, complicate the decision. Yet, at the heart of this transformation is modularity. From monoliths to microservices and everything in between, modularity is the foundation.

In this session, we’ll explore how modularity is impacting the platforms we are leveraging and the architecture paradigms we’ll use and offer a clear roadmap with proven guidance on navigating the architecture decisions we must make.

From Fragile to Agile Architecture

Wednesday, 5:00 PM EST

In today’s volatile technology and business climate, big architecture up front is not sustainable. Attempts to define the architectural vision for a system early in the development lifecycle does not work. To accept change, teams are moving to agile methods, but agile methods provide little architectural guidance. In this session, we provide practical guidance for software architecture on agile projects.

We will explore several principles that help us create more flexible and adaptable software systems.We’ll expose the true essence of what’s meant when we say “architectural agility.” And we’ll explore the real goal of software architecture and how we can accommodate architectural change to help increase architectural agility.

30 Years of Software Development: Lessons from the Trenches

Wednesday, 7:30 PM EST

Software development is an amazing profession, requiring the delicate combination of analytical and creative skills. Understanding architectural patterns, agile best practices, and exploring the depths of platforms, tool, and languages requires deep analytical skills. Yet crafting a system also requires vision and understanding when to deviate from traditional best practices.

In this session, we will explore lessons learned over many years of building large software systems. We will challenge traditional assumptions and explore new ways of thinking.

Books

Java Application Architecture: Modularity Patterns with Examples Using OSGi (Robert C. Martin Series)

by Kirk Knoernschild

Java Application Architecture: Modularity Patterns with Examples Using OSGi (Robert C. Martin Series)
  • “I’m dancing! By god I’m dancing on the walls. I’m dancing on the ceiling. I’m ecstatic. I’m overjoyed. I’m really, really pleased.”

    –From the Foreword by Robert C. Martin (a.k.a. Uncle Bob)

     

    This isn’t the first book on Java application architecture. No doubt it won’t be the last. But rest assured, this title is different. The way we develop Java applications is about to change, and this title explores the new way of Java application architecture.

     

    Over the past several years, module frameworks have been gaining traction on the Java platform, and upcoming versions of Java will include a module system that allows you to leverage the power of modularity to build more resilient and flexible software systems. Modularity isn’t a new concept. But modularity will change the way we develop Java applications, and you’ll only be able to realize the benefits if you understand how to design more modular software systems.

     

    Java Application Architecture will help you

     

    • Design modular software that is extensible, reusable, maintainable, and adaptable
    • Design modular software today, in anticipation of future platform support for modularity
    • Break large software systems into a flexible composite of collaborating modules
    • Understand where to place your architectural focus
    • Migrate large-scale monolithic applications to applications with a modular architecture
    • Articulate the advantages of modular software to your team

     

    Java Application Architecture lays the foundation you’ll need to incorporate modular design thinking into your development initiatives. Before it walks you through eighteen patterns that will help you architect modular software, it lays a solid foundation that shows you why modularity is a critical weapon in your arsenal of design tools. Throughout, you’ll find examples that illustrate the concepts. By designing modular applications today, you are positioning yourself for the platform and architecture of tomorrow. That’s why Uncle Bob is dancing.