Software Engineering Fundamentals
Essential knowledge for building production systems.
These fundamentals cover the core concepts every developer needs, regardless of framework or language. Master these before diving into SpecWeave's advanced features.
Domain Guides
| Guide | Topics | Time |
|---|---|---|
| AI Development Fundamentals | Deterministic vs non-deterministic, LLM guardrails | 15 min |
| Enterprise App Development | Architecture, SDLC, microservices, compliance | 45 min |
| Software Engineering Roles | PM, Architect, DevOps, QA responsibilities | 20 min |
| Backend Fundamentals | APIs, databases, authentication, patterns | 30 min |
| Frontend Fundamentals | React, state management, performance | 30 min |
| Testing Fundamentals | Unit, integration, E2E, TDD | 30 min |
| IaC Fundamentals | Terraform, Kubernetes, CI/CD | 30 min |
| ML/AI Fundamentals | Model training, MLOps, inference | 25 min |
| Security Fundamentals | OWASP, authentication, compliance | 25 min |
How These Relate to SpecWeave
SpecWeave's AI agents embody these fundamentals:
| Fundamental | SpecWeave Agent |
|---|---|
| AI Development | All agents (spec-driven validation, guardrails) |
| Enterprise Development | PM Agent (requirements), Architect Agent (design) |
| Backend | backend:database-optimizer |
| Frontend | frontend:architect |
| Testing | testing:qa |
| Infrastructure | infra:devops, k8s:kubernetes-architect |
| ML/AI | ml:engineer, ml:data-scientist |
| Security | Security Agent (OWASP, compliance) |
Recommended Path
New to AI-assisted development?
- Start with AI Development Fundamentals - understand deterministic vs non-deterministic
- Then Enterprise App Development - understand the big picture
- Then Software Engineering Roles - know who does what
- Then domain-specific guides based on your focus
Experienced developer, new to LLMs?
- Read AI Development Fundamentals first - key mental model shift
- Use other guides as reference when SpecWeave agents make recommendations
Experienced with both?
- Use these as reference when SpecWeave agents make recommendations
- Understand why the Architect agent suggests certain patterns
Next: AI Development Fundamentals - understand deterministic vs non-deterministic before building with AI.