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Big Ball of Mud (1999)

While much attention has been focused on high-level software architectural patterns, what is, in effect, the de-facto standard software architecture is seldom discussed. This paper examines the most frequently deployed architecture: the BIG BALL OF MUD

Abstract Introduction Forces Big Ball Of Mud Throwaway Code Piecemeal Growth Keep It Working Shearing Layers Sweeping It Under The Rug Reconstruction Conclusion Acknowledgments References Yet, a case can be made that the casual, undifferentiated structure of a BIG BALL OF MUD is one of its secret advantages, since forces acting between two parts of the system can be directly addressed without having to worry about undermining the system’s grander architectural aspirations. Naturally, we’d like to acknowledge the members of our PLoP ’97 Conference Writer’s Workshop, Norm Kerth, Hans Rohnert, Clark Evans, Shai Ben-Yehuda, Lorraine Boyd, Alejandra Garrido, Dragos Manolescu, Gerard Meszaros, Kyle Brown, Ralph Johnson, and Klaus Renzel.

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