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name: architecture-review description: |

Triggers: adr, architecture, patterns, design, review Evaluate codebase architecture against ADRs, coupling rules, and team guardrails.

Triggers: architecture review, ADR audit, coupling analysis, design review, principle checks, Law of Demeter, architecture assessment

Use when: reviewing architecture decisions, auditing ADR compliance, analyzing coupling, validating design principles

DO NOT use when: selecting architecture paradigms - use archetypes skills. DO NOT use when: API surface review - use api-review.

Use this skill for architecture assessment and compliance. category: architecture tags: [architecture, design, adr, coupling, patterns, principles] tools: [adr-auditor, coupling-analyzer, principle-checker] usage_patterns:

• architecture-assessment
• adr-audit
• refactor-review
• design-validation complexity: advanced estimated_tokens: 300 progressive_loading: true dependencies:
• pensive:shared
• imbue:evidence-logging
• imbue:diff-analysis/modules/risk-assessment-framework modules:
• modules/adr-audit.md
• modules/coupling-analysis.md
• modules/principle-checks.md

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Table of Contents

• Quick Start
• When to Use
• Progressive Loading
• Required TodoWrite Items
• Workflow
• Step 1: Establish Context (arch-review:context-established)
• Step 2: ADR Audit (arch-review:adr-audit)
• Step 3: Interaction Mapping (arch-review:interaction-mapping)
• Step 4: Principle Checks (arch-review:principle-checks)
• Step 5: Risks and Actions (arch-review:risks-actions)
• Architecture Principles Checklist
• Coupling
• Cohesion
• Layering
• Evolution

Architecture Review Workflow

Architecture assessment against ADRs and design principles.

Quick Start

/architecture-review

When to Use

• Approving reimplementations.
• Large-scale refactoring reviews.
• System design changes.
• New module/service introduction.
• Dependency restructuring.

Progressive Loading

Load modules based on review scope:

• modules/adr-audit.md (~400 tokens): ADR verification and documentation.
• modules/coupling-analysis.md (~450 tokens): Dependency analysis and boundary violations.
• modules/principle-checks.md (~500 tokens): Code quality, security, and performance.

Load all modules for full reviews. For focused reviews, load only relevant modules.

Required TodoWrite Items

1. arch-review:context-established: Repository, branch, motivation.
2. arch-review:adr-audit: ADR verification and new ADR needs.
3. arch-review:interaction-mapping: Module coupling analysis.
4. arch-review:principle-checks: LoD, security, performance.
5. arch-review:risks-actions: Recommendation and follow-ups.

Workflow

Step 1: Establish Context (arch-review:context-established)

Confirm repository and branch:

pwd
git status -sb

Document:

• Feature/bug/epic motivating review.
• Affected subsystems.
• Architectural intent from README/docs.
• Design trade-off assumptions.

Step 2: ADR Audit (arch-review:adr-audit)

Load: modules/adr-audit.md

• Locate ADRs in project.
• Verify required sections.
• Check status flow.
• Confirm immutability compliance.
• Flag need for new ADRs.

Step 3: Interaction Mapping (arch-review:interaction-mapping)

Load: modules/coupling-analysis.md

• Diagram before/after module interactions.
• Verify composition boundaries.
• Check data ownership clarity.
• Validate dependency flow direction.
• Identify coupling violations.

Step 4: Principle Checks (arch-review:principle-checks)

Load: modules/principle-checks.md

• Law of Demeter.
• Anti-slop patterns.
• Security (input validation, least privilege).
• Performance (N+1 queries, caching).

Step 5: Risks and Actions (arch-review:risks-actions)

Summarize using imbue:diff-analysis/modules/risk-assessment-framework:

• Current vs proposed architecture.
• Business impact.
• Technical debt implications.

List follow-ups with owners and dates.

Provide recommendation:

• Approve: Architecture sound.
• Approve with actions: Minor issues to address.
• Block: Fundamental problems requiring redesign.

Architecture Principles Checklist

Coupling

• Dependencies follow defined boundaries.
• No circular dependencies.
• Extension points used properly.
• Abstractions don't leak.

Cohesion

• Related functionality grouped.
• Single responsibility per module.
• Clear module purposes.

Layering

• Layers have clear responsibilities.
• Dependencies flow downward.
• No layer bypassing.

Evolution

• Changes are reversible.
• Migration paths are clear.
• ADRs document decisions.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Command not found Ensure all dependencies are installed and in PATH

Permission errors Check file permissions and run with appropriate privileges

Unexpected behavior Enable verbose logging with --verbose flag