Build-time enforcement of architectural partitioning in computer application

A computer software construct has a plurality of components and is built based on an architecture designed for the construct. The architecture includes a number of partitions and dependency rules, where each partition is for having at least one component associated therewith. Each dependency rule specifies whether a component of one partition may refer to any component of another partition. The method enforces the dependency rules of the architecture on each component of the construct as built. A command is received to build a particular component of the software construct based on corresponding build instructions, and the dependency rules are also received. Thereafter, it is determined whether the particular component of a particular partition violates any dependency rule by improperly referring to another component of another partition. The particular component of the software construct is built only if the particular component violates none of the dependency rules.