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Module Quiz

Complete this quiz after finishing all concept and practice pages. Save your answers before opening separate quiz calibration.

Current Module Questions​

Question 1: Sinkhole Anti-Pattern​

In a layered architecture, what is the architecture sinkhole anti-pattern and what is the 80/20 rule of thumb used to detect it?

Question 2: Pipeline vs Layered Fit​

Name one system where pipeline architecture is a clearly better fit than layered, and explain in one sentence why.

Question 3: Modular Monolith Definition​

What three properties distinguish a true modular monolith from "a monolith with folders"?

Question 4: Cohesion and Coupling​

Given a package with Ca = 0, Ce = 8, what does this tell you? Is this a problem?

Question 5: Enforcing Boundaries​

Why is a boundary rule that only lives in code review unreliable, and what is the minimum enforcement level for a modular monolith?

Question 6: Service-Based vs Microservices​

State three concrete differences between service-based architecture and microservices.

Question 7: Event-Driven Topologies​

What is the fundamental difference between broker and mediator topology in event-driven architecture, and one tradeoff each makes?

Question 8: The Microservices Tax​

Enumerate the six taxes microservices impose, and for each, name one concrete cost.

Question 9: Style from Characteristics -- Scenario​

A team is building a real-time bidding system: 80k requests/sec, p99 latency <100ms, the dataset (ad inventory and bid state) is ~15GB and fits in memory, traffic is spikey. Which style do you recommend as the core of the system, and what alternative would you reject first?

Question 10: Style from Characteristics -- Scenario​

A 5-engineer startup is building a SaaS tool: CRUD on ~15 entities, ~100 customers, heavy emphasis on shipping features fast, unclear requirements. Which style do you recommend, and what would you reject?

Question 11: Style from Characteristics -- Scenario​

A 10-engineer data team ingests 800GB/day from multiple customers, runs validation, enrichment, aggregation, and loads results into per-customer warehouses nightly. Which style do you recommend and why?

Question 12: Distributed Fallacies​

A team proposes moving from modular monolith to microservices. Name three of the eight fallacies of distributed computing and the concrete production failure each predicts if ignored.

Question 13: Distributed Monolith​

What is a "distributed monolith," and what is the most reliable way to tell if you have one?

Question 14: Strangler Fig​

Describe the strangler fig pattern and when to use it instead of a big-bang rewrite.

Question 15: Hybrid Architectures​

Explain why most mature production systems are hybrids rather than pure examples of a single style.

Interleaved Review Questions​

Prior Module Question 1 (M01: Architecture Fundamentals)​

What is an architectural characteristic, and what distinguishes it from a functional requirement?

Prior Module Question 2 (M01: Quality Attribute Scenarios)​

What is a quality attribute scenario and why is it required (rather than just naming "fast" or "scalable")?

Prior Module Question 3 (S06: Distributed Systems)​

State the CAP theorem in one sentence and give one example of when a system deliberately sacrifices consistency for availability.

Prior Module Question 4 (S04: Databases)​

Why is it harder to perform an ACID transaction across two microservices than across two tables in the same database?

Prior Module Question 5 (S05: APIs and Contracts -- forward to M04)​

A microservices system exposes services to each other via REST. What is the most important property those inter-service APIs must have to preserve independent deployability?

Self-Assessment and Remediation​

Mastery Level (90-100% correct):

  • Retrieval is strong; complete all module and semester evidence gates before advancing.

Proficient Level (75-89% correct):

  • Review missed concept pages. Redo the Architecture Pattern Katas (Practice 4) with the concepts for your missed questions open.

Developing Level (60-74% correct):

  • Rework the practice pages, especially the Style Selection Lab and Microservices Decomposition Clinic. Re-attempt the quiz after 48 hours.

Insufficient Level (<60% correct):

  • Return to the concept pages for Clusters 4 and 5. Style selection and microservices judgment are the weight-bearing concepts of this module. Do not advance until these are stable.

Progression boundary​

Quiz performance calibrates retrieval and reasoning. It does not replace runnable work, changed-case transfer, the module assessment or required semester evidence. Consult practice calibration for the additional independent cases.