What is the primary responsibility of a software architect?

The primary responsibility of a software architect is to define the high-level structure of software systems. This role involves making critical decisions about the software's architecture, which includes selecting technologies, establishing best practices, and ensuring the system meets both functional and non-functional requirements, such as performance, scalability, and security.

By focusing on the high-level design, the software architect provides a blueprint that guides the development team on how to construct the system. This includes outlining the various components, their interactions, and designing interfaces and protocols. The architect's vision is crucial for aligning the project with business goals while facilitating communication and understanding among stakeholders, developers, and other teams.

While writing code, debugging, and conducting user training are important tasks in the software development lifecycle, they fall more under the purview of developers and other team members. The architect’s work encompasses a broader view of the system architecture, ensuring that the foundational elements are in place for successful implementation and future maintenance.