Software Design Document

Plan and communicate your software architecture.

USE TEMPLATE

Software Design Document

Overview

Purpose

Provide a concise statement about the purpose of the software.

Example: This document details the design of ABC Software, outlining the system's architecture, components, and functionality to guide the development process.

Scope

  • In scope:

    • Example: User authentication

    • ...

  • Out of scope:

    • Example: Payment processing

    • ...

Related documents

System architecture

High-level diagram

Nuclino Canvas is not supported here.

Key components

Component

Description

Example: API Gateway

Handles incoming requests

...

...

Requirements

Functional requirements

  • User authentication:

    • Login via email and password

    • OAuth integration with Google and Facebook

  • ...

Non-functional requirements

  • Performance: The system should handle up to 10,000 concurrent users.

  • ...

UI design

Mockups and wireframes

Include links to mockups, if available. You can easily embed designs directly into Nuclino. Here's an example – use Figma, Framer, or Abstract to create and embed your own designs.

User flows

Nuclino Canvas is not supported here.

Database design

Schema

CREATE TABLE users (
id INT PRIMARY KEY,
email VARCHAR(255) UNIQUE NOT NULL,
password_hash VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

Data flow

Nuclino Canvas is not supported here.

APIs

Method

Endpoint

Description

Example: GET

/users

Fetch all users

...

...

...

Risks and Assumptions

Risk

Mitigation strategy

Example: High server load

Implement caching and load balancing

...

...

Assumptions:

  • Example: Users will have internet access.

  • ...

Development timeline

Milestone

Deadline

Responsible Team

Initial prototype

31 Jan 2025

@FrontendTeam

...

...

...

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About this template

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A Software Design Document is where ideas take shape. It’s the blueprint for your software, detailing its architecture, components, and workflows. This document serves as a guide for your team, ensuring that everyone—from developers to stakeholders—has a shared understanding of the system's design.

Using this template, you can document key decisions and create a solid foundation for implementation. Keep your project on track, reduce confusion, and build software that’s as functional as it is well-structured. Adapt it to your needs and start planning your next project today.

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