Architecture Decision Records
Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) are lightweight documents that capture important architectural decisions along with their context and consequences. This skill provides templates, examples, and best practices for creating and maintaining ADRs in your projects.
Overview Making significant technology choices (databases, frameworks, cloud providers) Designing system architecture or major components Establishing patterns or conventions for the team Evaluating trade-offs between multiple approaches Documenting decisions that will impact future development Why ADRs Matter
ADRs serve as architectural memory for your team:
Context Preservation: Capture why decisions were made, not just what was decided Onboarding: Help new team members understand architectural rationale Prevent Revisiting: Avoid endless debates about settled decisions Track Evolution: See how architecture evolved over time Accountability: Clear ownership and decision timeline ADR Format (Nygard Template)
Each ADR should follow this structure:
- Title
Format: ADR-####: [Decision Title] Example: ADR-0001: Adopt Microservices Architecture
- Status
Current state of the decision:
Proposed: Under consideration Accepted: Decision approved and being implemented Superseded: Replaced by a later decision (reference ADR number) Deprecated: No longer recommended but not yet replaced Rejected: Considered but not adopted (document why) 3. Context
What to include:
Problem statement or opportunity Business/technical constraints Stakeholder requirements Current state of the system Forces at play (conflicting concerns) 4. Decision
What to include:
The choice being made Key principles or patterns to follow What will change as a result Who is responsible for implementation
Be specific and actionable:
✅ "We will adopt microservices architecture using Node.js with Express" ❌ "We will consider using microservices" 5. Consequences
What to include:
Positive outcomes (benefits) Negative outcomes (costs, risks, trade-offs) Neutral outcomes (things that change but aren't clearly better/worse) 6. Alternatives Considered
Document at least 2 alternatives:
For each alternative, explain:
What it was Why it was considered Why it was not chosen 7. References (Optional)
Links to relevant resources:
Meeting notes or discussion threads Related ADRs External research or articles Proof of concept implementations ADR Lifecycle Proposed → Accepted → [Implemented] → (Eventually) Superseded/Deprecated ↓ Rejected
Best Practices 1. Keep ADRs Immutable
Once accepted, don't edit ADRs. Create new ADRs that supersede old ones.
✅ Create ADR-0015 that supersedes ADR-0003 ❌ Update ADR-0003 with new decisions 2. Write in Present Tense
ADRs are historical records written as if the decision is being made now.
✅ "We will adopt microservices" ❌ "We adopted microservices" 3. Focus on 'Why', Not 'How'
ADRs capture decisions, not implementation details.
✅ "We chose PostgreSQL for relational consistency" ❌ "Configure PostgreSQL with these specific settings..." 4. Review ADRs as Team
Get input from relevant stakeholders before accepting.
Architects: Technical viability Developers: Implementation feasibility Product: Business alignment DevOps: Operational concerns 5. Number Sequentially
Use 4-digit zero-padded numbers: ADR-0001, ADR-0002, etc. Maintain a single sequence even with multiple projects.
- Store in Git
Keep ADRs in version control alongside code:
Location: /docs/adr/ or /architecture/decisions/ Format: Markdown for easy reading Branch: Same branch as implementation Quick Start Checklist Option 1: Use Script-Enhanced Generator (Recommended) Run /create-adr [number] [title] to generate ADR with auto-filled context ADR number, date, and author are auto-populated Review and fill in decision details Set Status to "Proposed" and review with team Option 2: Use Static Template Copy ADR template from assets/adr-template.md Assign next sequential number (check existing ADRs) Fill in Context: problem, constraints, requirements Document Decision: what, why, how, who List Consequences: positive, negative, neutral Describe at least 2 Alternatives: what, pros/cons, why not chosen Add References: discussions, research, related ADRs Set Status to "Proposed" Review with team Update Status to "Accepted" after approval Link ADR in implementation PR Update Status to "Implemented" after deployment Available Scripts
scripts/create-adr.md - Dynamic ADR generator with auto-filled context
Auto-fills: ADR number, date, author, total ADRs count Usage: /create-adr [number] [title] Uses $ARGUMENTS and !command for dynamic context
assets/adr-template.md - Static template for manual use
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
❌ Too Technical: "We'll use Kubernetes with these 50 YAML configs..." ✅ Right Level: "We'll use Kubernetes for container orchestration because..."
❌ Too Vague: "We'll use a better database" ✅ Specific: "We'll use PostgreSQL 15+ for transactional data because..."
❌ No Alternatives: Only documenting the chosen solution ✅ Comparative: Document why alternatives weren't chosen
❌ Missing Consequences: Only listing benefits ✅ Balanced: Honest about costs and trade-offs
❌ No Context: "We decided to use Redis" ✅ Contextual: "Given our 1M+ concurrent users and sub-50ms latency requirement..."
Related Skills api-design-framework: Use when designing APIs referenced in ADRs database-schema-designer: Use when ADR involves database choices security-checklist: Consult when ADR has security implications
Skill Version: 2.0.0 Last Updated: 2026-01-08 Maintained by: AI Agent Hub Team
Capability Details adr-creation
Keywords: adr, architecture decision, decision record, document decision Solves:
How do I document an architectural decision? Create an ADR Architecture decision template adr-best-practices
Keywords: when to write adr, adr lifecycle, adr workflow, adr process, adr review, quantify impact Solves:
When should I write an ADR? How do I manage ADR lifecycle? What's the ADR review process? How to quantify decision impact? ADR anti-patterns to avoid Link related ADRs tradeoff-analysis
Keywords: tradeoff, pros cons, alternatives, comparison, evaluate options Solves:
How do I analyze tradeoffs? Compare architectural options Document alternatives considered consequences
Keywords: consequence, impact, risk, benefit, outcome Solves:
What are the consequences of this decision? Document decision impact Risk and benefit analysis