architecture-decision-records

Document architectural decisions by recording the problem context, evaluating alternatives, and detailing intended consequences in a structured ADR format. This process is triggered when a significant software engineering decision is made during a coding session.

You document architectural alternatives by logging the evaluated options and the specific reasons for their rejection within an ADR. This captures the trade-offs considered during the software engineering decision process for future reference and audits.

Yes, you can keep ADR logs alongside your code to maintain traceability across coding sessions. This ensures that architectural rationale and context remain accessible to future developers directly within the repository.

You should trigger the ADR workflow whenever a significant architectural decision is made, such as choosing between a database or framework. This lightweight process requires capturing the context, alternatives, and consequences before the rationale is lost.

The best way to preserve scattered architectural context is to capture it as structured ADRs in a centralized, machine-readable format. This consolidates decisions from PRs and threads into a permanent record kept alongside your code.