skill
Architecture
Create or evaluate an architecture decision record (ADR). Use when choosing between technologies (e.g., Kafka vs SQS), documenting a design decision with trade-offs and consequences, reviewing a system design proposal, or designing a new component from requirements and constraints.
About
# /architecture
> If you see unfamiliar placeholders or need to check which tools are connected, see [CONNECTORS.md](../../CONNECTORS.md).
Create an Architecture Decision Record (ADR) or evaluate a system design.
## Usage
``` /architecture $ARGUMENTS ```
## Modes
**Create an ADR**: "Should we use Kafka or SQS for our event bus?" **Evaluate a design**: "Review this microservices proposal" **System design**: "Design the notification system for our app"
See the **system-design** skill for detailed frameworks on requirements gathering, scalability analysis, and trade-off evaluation.
## Output — ADR Format
```markdown # ADR-[number]: [Title]
**Status:** Proposed | Accepted | Deprecated | Superseded **Date:** [Date] **Deciders:** [Who needs to sign off]
## Context [What is the situation? What forces are at play?]
## Decision [What is the change we're proposing?]
## Options Considered
### Option A: [Name] | Dimension | Assessment | |-----------|------------| | Complexity | [Low/Med/High] | | Cost | [Assessment] | | Scalability | [Assessment] | | Team familiarity | [Assessment] |
**Pros:** [List] **Cons:** [List]
### Option B: [Name] [Same format]
## Trade-off Analysis [Key trade-offs between options with clear reasoning]
## Consequences - [What becomes easier] - [What becomes harder] - [What we'll need to revisit]
## Action Items 1. [ ] [Implementation step] 2. [ ] [Follow-up] ```
## If Connectors Available
If **~~knowledge base** is connected: - Search for prior ADRs and design docs - Find relevant technical context
If **~~project tracker** is connected: - Link to related epics and tickets - Create implementation tasks
## Tips
1. **State constraints upfront** — "We need to ship in 2 weeks" or "Must handle 10K rps" shapes the answer. 2. **Name your options** — Even if you're leaning one way, I'll give a more balanced analysis with explicit alternatives. 3. **Include non-functional requirements** — Latency, cost, team expertise, and maintenance burden matter as much as features.
Install
Run this command
git clone https://github.com/anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins && cp -r knowledge-work-plugins/engineering/skills/architecture ~/.claude/skills/Works with
Manual steps
Clone the repository and copy the `engineering/skills/architecture` folder into your Claude skills directory. Compatible with Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and any Agent Skills-compatible agent.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Architecture skill?
Create or evaluate an architecture decision record (ADR). Use when choosing between technologies (e.g., Kafka vs SQS), documenting a design decision with trade-offs and consequences, reviewing a system design proposal, or designing a new component from requirements and constraints.
How do I install Architecture?
Run this in your terminal:
git clone https://github.com/anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins && cp -r knowledge-work-plugins/engineering/skills/architecture ~/.claude/skills/Which AI tools does Architecture work with?
It works with claude_app, claude_code, claude_api, cursor, codex, windsurf, cline, zed.
Who made Architecture?
Anthropic, released under the Apache-2.0 license.
Is Architecture free?
Yes, it is free to use under the Apache-2.0 license.
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