Too many people confuse architecture with tools.

This is a common mistake in interviews.

❌ "Our data architecture is React + Node.js + MongoDB"

✅ "We use a microservices architecture with event-driven communication, RESTful APIs, and a document-oriented database for scalability and flexibility"

You will lose points if you describe your stack instead of explaining your architectural approach and reasoning behind decisions.

A better way to approach architecture in interviews:

1. Start with the core principles – e.g., "Our system follows event-driven principles to enable loosely coupled services."

2. Explain the trade-offs – e.g., "We chose eventual consistency over strong consistency to ensure high availability."

3. Then talk about tools, if necessary – e.g., "We use Kafka to facilitate this event-driven approach."

Architecture is strategic → The what, why, and when.tools

when.tools are tactical → The how.

Architecture is strategic; tools are tactical.

Great architecture outlives tools.