According to Google, the word dimension has a few meanings. Let's use the following definition, which fits into the context that we will discuss in this section:

Starting with this definition, we will consider dimensions as the aspects or features that will influence and guide the software architectures that we build.

In the previous chapter, we talked about the importance of understanding the business domain when crafting our solutions. Of course, this knowledge is not enough when it comes to generating a system that is able to address all business needs. You will also need to think about the mechanisms for supporting these solutions from a technical viewpoint, without forgetting the business requirements. As technical people, we need to provide a solution that can evolve with the passage of time, in order to accomplish new business needs and efficiently achieve goals.

The following list is comprised of the most common dimensions in the process of crafting a software architecture:

• Business
• Data
• Technical
• Operations

Depending on the context of the solution that you are working on, you can add some extra points to this list. These four dimensions are highly connected when you are looking at a product from a technical viewpoint, and they should be understood by the whole team in charge of the system.