Course
Software Design Principles and Patterns with AI
Learn how to apply SOLID principles, design patterns, and layered architecture with AI to design and refactor full-stack applications.
This course includes
This course includes
Skill level
IntermediateTime to complete
Average based on combined completion rates — individual pacing in lessons, projects, and quizzes may vary4 hoursProjects
3Prerequisites
2 coursesWe suggest you complete the following courses before you get started with Software Design Principles and Patterns with AI:- AI-Assisted Development with Codex CLI
- AI-Assisted Back-End Development
About this course
AI coding agents are changing how developers think about software design, but they don’t replace the need for architectural judgment.
In this course, you’ll learn the principles and patterns behind maintainable code (SOLID, DRY, KISS, YAGNI, Gang of Four patterns, and layered architecture) and use AI as a collaborator to apply them in full-stack Node.js codebases. You’ll develop the judgment to recognize when code violates a principle, choose patterns that fit the problem, and decide when an AI agent’s suggestion actually improves the design. By the end, you’ll be able to design layered applications, apply patterns within each layer, and refactor existing code with deliberate trade-off reasoning.
Skills you'll gain
Apply SOLID, KISS, DRY, and YAGNI to evaluate software design
Recognize and apply Gang of Four design patterns
Design full-stack applications with clean layer separations
Audit and refactor code with AI as a critical collaborator
Syllabus
5 lessons • 3 projects • 5 quizzesCertificate of completion available with Plus or Pro
Earn a certificate of completion and showcase your accomplishment on your resume or LinkedIn.
Projects in this course
- practice Project
Designing Full-Stack Layered Applications with AI Lab: Concert Ticketing
Refactor a working but poorly structured concert ticket application by extracting misplaced logic into its correct architectural layer: data access, business logic, presentation, and view transformation. - practice Project
Applying Patterns Within Full-Stack Layers with AI Lab: Food Delivery
Address three flagged pain points in a food delivery platform's codebase: a fat controller, a brittle pricing service, and an unproven data access layer. Apply structural patterns within each layer and evaluate whether each solution genuinely fits the problem. - practice Project
Full-Stack Code Optimization and Refactoring with AI Lab: Customer Support Help Desk
Audit, diagnose, and selectively refactor a working but imperfect support desk application, using an AI agent as a collaborator throughout and making deliberate judgments about what to fix, what to leave, and when to push back on the AI agent's suggestions.
Earn a certificate of completion
Show your network you've done the work by earning a certificate of completion for each course or path you finish.- Show proofReceive a certificate that demonstrates you've completed a course or path.
- Build a collectionThe more courses and paths you complete, the more certificates you collect.
- Share with your networkEasily add certificates of completion to your LinkedIn profile to share your accomplishments.
Reviews from learners
- The progress I have made since starting to use codecademy is immense! I can study for short periods or long periods at my own convenience - mostly late in the evenings.ChrisCodecademy Learner @ USA
- I felt like I learned months in a week. I love how Codecademy uses learning by practice and gives great challenges to help the learner to understand a new concept and subject.RodrigoCodecademy Learner @ UK
- Brilliant learning experience. Very interactive. Literally a game changer if you're learning on your own.John-AndrewCodecademy Learner @ USA
Our learners work at
Join over 50 million learners and start Software Design Principles and Patterns with AI today!
Looking for something else?
Related resources
- Article
AI vs Generative AI: Understanding the Difference
Learn what is AI vs generative AI difference. Explore how each works, their key differences, and real-world use cases. - Article
Agentic AI vs Generative AI: Key Differences
Discover what is agentic AI vs generative AI, their key differences, and which one you should use. - Article
What is UI/UX Design?
Understand the key differences between User Interface (UI) design and User Experience (UX) design, including their definitions, examples, and the core elements of each field.
Related courses and paths
- Start designing more complex systems with techniques such as design patterns, SOLID principles, and UML.
- With Certificate
- Intermediate.1 hour
- Design effective user interactions and flows with thoughtful information architecture.
- With Certificate
- Intermediate.2 hours
- Learn front-end development with AI tools. This course teaches you to build React applications using AI coding agents to speed up workflows.
- Includes 2 Courses
- With Certificate
- Intermediate.7 hours
Browse more topics
- Code foundations8,743,465 learners enrolled
- Computer science7,243,280 learners enrolled
- Web development5,877,450 learners enrolled
- Data science5,492,278 learners enrolled
- Python4,452,025 learners enrolled
- For business4,248,491 learners enrolled
- Data analytics3,359,224 learners enrolled
- IT3,295,604 learners enrolled
- JavaScript3,281,141 learners enrolled
Unlock additional features with a paid plan
Practice Projects
Guided projects that help you solidify the skills and concepts you're learning.Assessments
Auto-graded quizzes and immediate feedback help you reinforce your skills as you learn.Certificate of Completion
Earn a document to prove you've completed a course or path that you can share with your network.