A Computational System is a set of $n$ software interrelated components that work together to provide computational functionalities.
Note: A computational system addresses a given problem not through a fixed solution, but via an evolving process that adapts to find the most effective implementation or keeps pace with the changing nature of the problem.
Note: Like many other areas of engineering that design and implement complex systems, this process is typically carried out through a set of layered specifications and refinements, generating multiple system models that evolve from less detailed to more detailed versions.
This checklist provides a comprehensive overview of essential aspects to consider when designing, evaluating, or maintaining a robust and efficient computational software system.
| Category | Aspect | Checklist Item |
|---|---|---|
| 🧱 Architecture | Design Paradigm | Is the architecture modular, layered, or service-oriented? |
| Component Isolation | Are components loosely coupled and independently testable? | |
| Scalability Model | Is horizontal/vertical scalability supported? | |
| Fault Tolerance | Are redundancy and failover mechanisms in place? | |
| ⚙️ Computation Core | Language Runtime | Is the system runtime-efficient (GC, JIT, memory layout)? |
| Parallelism / Concurrency | Are there mechanisms for parallel processing (threads, actors, etc.)? | |
| Numerical Precision | Are floating-point operations, overflows, or underflows handled explicitly? | |
| Algorithmic Efficiency | Are core algorithms asymptotically optimal or tuned for workload? | |
| 🗂️ Data Management | Data Model | Is the data model consistent (relational, graph, object)? |
| Serialization | Are data formats compact, robust (e.g., Protobuf, Avro)? | |
| Persistence | Are storage mechanisms ACID-compliant, fast, and scalable? | |
| Versioning & Migrations | Can schema changes be tracked, reverted, and migrated? | |
| 🔌 Interfaces | API Design | Are APIs RESTful, gRPC, GraphQL, etc.? Are they versioned and documented? |
| Language Bindings | Are SDKs available for key languages? | |
| CLI / GUI | Are there user-accessible CLI or UI interfaces? | |
| Protocol Compliance | Are protocols (HTTP, MQTT, etc.) strictly adhered to? | |
| 🔒 Security | Authentication | Are authentication mechanisms secure (OAuth2, SSO, MFA)? |
| Authorization | Are RBAC or ABAC models in place? | |
| Data Protection | Is data encrypted in transit and at rest? | |
| Audit & Forensics | Are logs immutable and traceable? | |
| 📊 Observability | Logging | Are logs structured, timestamped, and level-tagged? |
| Monitoring | Are metrics exported (e.g., Prometheus)? | |
| Tracing | Are there end-to-end traces of user/system actions? | |
| Alerting | Are alerts threshold-based, predictive, or anomaly-aware? | |
| 🧪 Testing | Unit Tests | Are critical functions covered by automated tests? |
| Integration Tests | Are APIs, DBs, and external services tested together? | |
| Property-Based Tests | Are systems checked against invariants? | |
| Performance Tests | Are latency, throughput, and stress tests automated? | |
| 🚀 Deployment | Build System | Are builds reproducible and artifact-tracked? |
| CI/CD | Are deployments automated, atomic, and observable? | |
| Containerization | Is the system packaged with Docker, Nix, etc.? | |
| Environment Parity | Are development, staging, and production environments aligned? | |
| 🖥️ Infrastructure | Hardware | Are servers, CPUs, GPUs, storage devices adequate for load? |
| Network | Are network topologies optimized for latency, throughput, and fault tolerance? | |
| Cloud / On-Premises | Is infrastructure hosted on cloud providers, on-premises data centers, or hybrid? | |
| Resource Provisioning | Is infrastructure auto-scaled or provisioned on demand? | |
| Virtualization / Containers | Are virtualization technologies (VMs, containers) used efficiently? | |
| Backup & Disaster Recovery | Are backups regular and tested? Is there a disaster recovery plan? | |
| Security | Are network firewalls, VPNs, IDS/IPS, and physical security implemented? | |
| Monitoring & Alerting | Are infrastructure health and availability monitored separately? | |
| 📜 Documentation | Architecture & Design Docs | Are design decisions and rationales documented? |
| Developer Onboarding | Is there an onboarding guide with setup, coding standards, and workflows? | |
| User Manual | Is the end-user documentation clear and updated? | |
| Maintenance Policy | Are support windows, upgrade cycles, and deprecation policies clear? |