architecture-decision-records

Document architectural decisions using Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) to capture context, alternatives, and consequences. ADRs preserve institutional memory by making technology choices explicit and traceable across SDLC phases and domain tracks.

An ADR template should include context, decision, alternatives, consequences, owner, and review date fields. Enforcing these fields ensures architectural decisions maintain ownership, status tracking, and scheduled reevaluation cycles for governance compliance.

Create ADRs using a templated format and save them under a docs/adr directory with descriptive, kebab-case filenames. This consistent file-naming scheme maintains a searchable ADR index for onboarding and audit support.

You need ADRs when teams make architectural choices affecting system architecture, technology selection, or governance across SDLC phases. They support onboarding, audits, and alignment by making the rationale behind decisions explicit and traceable.

Yes, ADRs apply to teams documenting decisions across multiple domain tracks and SDLC phases. The templated format enforces ownership, status, and review cycles to ensure timely reevaluation and alignment with architectural principles.

The best way to maintain a searchable ADR index is storing records under docs/adr with consistent kebab-case filenames and templated fields. References to templates and examples support governance, onboarding, and audit traceability.