documentation-and-adrs

An ADR captures the context, constraints, and trade-offs of architectural decisions so teams understand why a system looks the way it does. You need ADRs when selecting frameworks, databases, authentication strategies, or API architectures to preserve historical rationale.

To write an ADR for API architecture trade-offs, document the context, alternatives considered, and consequences rather than code behavior. Store it under docs/decisions using the next sequential number and a kebab-case title to maintain a structured decision log.

Yes, ADRs accelerate onboarding by giving contributors and agents the historical rationale behind framework, database, and authentication strategy selections. Documenting the why instead of the what prevents architectural context from being lost over time.

The best way to manage the ADR lifecycle is enforcing status transitions from PROPOSED to ACCEPTED, then superseded or deprecated. This anti-rationalization workflow prevents deleting or altering past decisions without documentation, preserving the full historical context.

Avoid documenting code behavior, writing stale comments, or rationalizing past decisions without a trace. Focus on capturing the why, including alternatives and consequences, to maintain quality standards and ensure future maintainability of the architecture decisions.