  Software architects frequently engage in trade-off analysis, often
confronting sub-optimal solutions due to unforeseen or overlooked
disadvantages. Such outcomes can detrimentally affect a company's business
operations and resource allocation. This article conducts a critical review of
archi- tectural styles, particularly focusing on the strengths and weaknesses
of both monolithic and distributed architectures, and their relationship to
architectural characteristics. It also explores the role of cloud computing in
transitioning from monolithic to distributed-based applications. Utilizing a
broad range of sources, including papers and books from both industry and
academia, this research provides an overview from theoretical foundations to
practical applications. A notable trend observed is a shift back from
distributed to monolithic architectures, possibly due to factors such as cost,
complexity, and performance.
