Enabling Independent Development in Collaborative Software Projects: A Framework for Decoupled Systems

Abstract

This thesis explores the development of a framework designed to enable independent development within collaborative software projects, focusing on creating decoupled systems. The shift from solitary to collaborative development has introduced challenges such as tight coupling of software components, leading to increased complexity and interdependencies. This research addresses these challenges by proposing a novel framework that supports the independent development and seamless integration of decoupled components, particularly suited for smaller organizations. The study investigates two primary research questions: (1) Which layers of an application need to be modified to achieve effective independent development? (2) Can independently developed decoupled components of an extensive application be deployed as a unitary application? Key findings indicate that the proposed framework mitigates dependency conflicts, manages database inconsistencies, and supports modular development, leading to streamlined development processes and reduced conflicts. The framework's architecture, including a developer key system for managing database interactions, ensures that independently developed components can function cohesively when integrated. This research contributes to the field of software development by suggesting a practical solution for decoupling in smaller collaborative environments that may not be suited for current decoupled architectures.