When it come to this subject, there is a fundamental components that is important to remember. Here is the list of things to remember:

1. An engine. Seriously, how can you power your ship and move it? Different variations and design can play a part to how it runs. But there is a fundamental rule: it takes a form of energy to run it. Such energy is from chemical reactions, physical manipulation(unlikely) or electrical.

I favor the chemical reaction. It is the most common but there is a lot of science behind it. Rocket technology is in this category. And the variation that I prefer in this: core fusion. The fusion of elements to form new elements or merging existing elements into a molecule. 

A good way to understand this is that energy in form of heat is transfers into something else. Then used to turn a turbine, create an electrical reaction of chemical compound(like in solar plants), or just collected and then released as propulsion.

2. Propulsion system. It is the manner of how the ship moved by the engine determines the systems. Some freedom of how falls into this. But the safe way is by the rocket boosters.

I haven't talked about this in my stories. But, because it is a vacuum of space, a combination method is what I preferred. One part rocket, one part release of matter to propel oneself as the matter travels one way and the ship goes another.

3. Cockpit or central command hub. The location is often in the front, furthermost from the engine. Which is easy to determine when it is obvious with windows. I am surprised that a tactic of disabling engines or shields, isn't followed by opening a hole in the cockpit to remove the air from the part of the ship to suffocate and/or jettison the crew in that location.

Put then again, if the crew as prepared to fight. They would suit up with air tanks to prevent this tactic. Surprise attacks should use this tactic in a story to show cunning.

4. Docking piece, hull, or other. Okay I don't know the technical term for it. But every space ship needs a docking attachment to dock into a port or station. Size is relative. Usually, at least the full size of the being to the size of a house. Yeah that large for enormous ships.

5. The hull. No ship can survive without it. Basically the skeleton and shell of the ship carrying the other pieces.

6. (Optional) Living quarters. Basically the bunking and bedding of the crew. Why I mark it as optional is based on size of the ship and range that it travel. Really short ranged ones tend to not have one and docks at a larger ship or station for bunking and bedding.

7. Weapons. Normally you would expect every ship to have one. But scientific ships might not. Instead, large and short range scanners and probes occupy these locations to increase scanning effectiveness.

Depending of size, tech, and costs, the weapon variations is numerous and the total combinations of weapons seemingly infinite. Seemingly, due to ever changing tech: that number diminishes to the newer tech and a few previous tech.

And that does not take an account of each separate being of existence. That number fluctuates depending of what is developed. An unknown until every weapon is accounted for. 

Be glad for the freedom of this part.

8. (Optional) Shielding. Not all ship are protected by this. The problem is how it is projected and what powers it. Most likely the engines powers it. But shielding is a high cost and high priority to maintain it. Larger ships may have an easier way to engage the shielding but have a harder time to maintain the shielding over the length of the ship. And smaller ships have a harder time placing a shield up due to higher energy cost to project but easier to cost the ship.

It if takes a lot to charge and power up the shields, then the amount projected is a lot. However having auxiliary shielding is ideal to project shields faster, it increases the energy needed to maintain and project it in the first place.

When it come to how shielding works, two ideas come to be:

First being photon based. This is basically what it is seen in science fiction stories and movies. Semi-state of energy into solid like structure protecting the ship.

Second is Hull Covering. Usually this isn't something that is covered much. But, Hull Covering is the armor of which covers the outer potions of the ship. Often it is cold or heat resistant. The reasoning of the cold resistance is the cold vacuum of space will instantly freezes and weaken some materials. And heat is similar but the weapons such as plasma made it even more important. In no such way, does any ship wants to melt and open up a hole which then sucks all the air out. The biggest threat however is debris. Yes debris, in a space fight debris happens and will hurl outward. Sometimes, it is tossed to the enemy ship.

That is the basics I am going to talk about. I thank you for reading.