technical-design-patterns

Technical design documents outline the problem statement, architecture, data model, API design, and testing strategy before implementation. Structure your design with sections covering the feature's goals, chosen approach with trade-offs documented, database schema changes, API contracts, permissions, validation rules, caching strategy, and DTO definitions to align the team and catch issues early.

API contracts specify endpoints, request/response formats, authentication requirements, and error handling. Database schema design documents table structures, relationships, indexes, and constraints. Both should include validation rules, permission boundaries, caching considerations, and rationale for key decisions to guide implementation and code review.

Architecture decision records (ADRs) document significant technical choices—alternatives evaluated, trade-offs accepted, and rationale—when designing features with multiple valid approaches. Use ADRs for REST API design, authentication flows, caching strategies, or schema decisions to provide context for future maintainers and justify architectural constraints.

Yes. This approach applies directly to ABP Framework feature design, covering REST API contracts, database schemas, permissions models, validation rules, caching strategies, and DTO definitions specific to ABP implementation patterns to standardize and document complex feature rollout.

Document each key decision with the alternatives you considered, why you rejected them, and which trade-offs you accepted in the chosen approach. Include rationale tied to technical constraints, performance requirements, or architectural principles so future developers understand the reasoning and can revisit decisions if context changes.

Use visual representations like Mermaid ERD for database schemas, sequence diagrams for API interaction flows, and system architecture diagrams to show component relationships. Diagrams clarify complex interactions and serve as quick references during implementation and code review.