Software Architecture is vitally important to the long term success of a software system.
Software Architects are not the only way to get software architecture. They may even be the worst way.
"Software Architects who Code" often do not suffer from this issue, depending on how much they actually get involved in production software and operations. However I would struggle to define a meaninful difference between a "Software Architect who Codes" and a sufficiently "Senior Software Developer".
Software Architects are not the only way to get software architecture. They may even be the worst way.
"Software Architects who Code" often do not suffer from this issue, depending on how much they actually get involved in production software and operations. However I would struggle to define a meaninful difference between a "Software Architect who Codes" and a sufficiently "Senior Software Developer".