documentation-and-adrs

An architecture decision record (ADR) is a structured Markdown document that captures significant technical choices, alternatives considered, and their consequences. You need an ADR during technical design phases, API development, or long-term codebase maintenance to record project rationale.

You can standardize project documentation and ADRs by applying structured Markdown templates that enforce the recording of technical rationale, alternatives, and consequences. This provides a consistent framework for architectural decisions, API changes, and project conventions.

The best way to document technical rationale for a codebase migration is using an ADR template. It guides you through recording the context, evaluated alternatives, and consequences, ensuring future developers and AI agents understand the history and intent behind the code.

Structured documentation helps AI agents understand project rationale by providing a standardized framework of Markdown templates that explicitly capture architectural decisions, API changes, and context. This ensures the history and intent behind the code are accessible to both humans and AI.

You should avoid using architecture decision records for minor codebase changes or routine inline comments that only explain what the code does. ADRs are specifically intended for significant technical choices, API changes, and explaining the why behind major project conventions.