designing-systems

C4 diagrams visualize software architecture at four levels: context, container, component, and code. Use them to document system boundaries, dependencies, and technology choices. This Skill guides you through drafting each level with clear relationships and trade-offs.

An ADR documents a major architectural choice, its context, alternatives considered, and consequences. ADRs capture the reasoning behind decisions so teams understand why a system was designed a certain way and what trade-offs were accepted.

System decomposition breaks a large system into smaller, independently designable parts based on concerns, data flow, and scaling needs. This Skill covers decomposition techniques alongside C4 diagrams to ensure each component has clear responsibilities and interfaces.

Document system design for major features, architecture changes, or new services before implementation. Design documentation—including data models, API definitions, and risk assessment—prevents costly rework and aligns teams on requirements and trade-offs.

Yes. System design addresses scalability by analyzing trade-offs between consistency, availability, and performance; documenting data model choices; and planning decomposition. ADRs and C4 diagrams record scaling decisions and their architectural implications.

Document trade-offs between technology choices, architectural patterns, data consistency models, and deployment strategies. This Skill helps you capture alternatives and their consequences so decisions remain transparent and revisable as requirements evolve.