Definition
Even though an architectural pattern conveys an image of a system, it is not an architecture. An architectural pattern is a concept that solves and delineates some essential cohesive elements of a software architecture. Countless different architectures may implement the same pattern and share the related characteristics. Patterns are often defined as "strictly described and commonly available". For example, the layered architecture is a call-and-return style because it defines an overall style to interact. When it is strictly described and commonly available, it is a pattern.
Read more about this topic: Architectural Pattern
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