Senior Architect
Architecture design and analysis tools for making informed technical decisions: visualize system structure, analyze dependencies and coupling, detect architectural patterns, and run decision workflows for databases, patterns, and monolith-vs-microservices trade-offs.
Core Capabilities
- Diagram generation — produce component, layer, and deployment diagrams in Mermaid, PlantUML, or ASCII from a project directory.
- Dependency analysis — map the dependency tree, score coupling (0-100), and detect circular dependencies across npm, pip, Poetry, Go modules, and Cargo.
- Pattern detection — assess an existing codebase for layered/MVC/hexagonal/clean/microservices patterns, layer violations, god classes, and mixed concerns.
- Database selection — match data characteristics, scale, and consistency needs to SQL/NoSQL options with an ADR template.
- Pattern & topology selection — choose an architecture pattern by team size, deployment, and data-boundary requirements.
- Monolith vs microservices — apply decision checklists and a modular-monolith-first hybrid strategy.
When to Use
- Designing a new system or refactoring existing architecture.
- Evaluating microservices vs monolith, or choosing a database.
- Writing an ADR, planning for scalability, or reviewing a system design.
- Generating architecture diagrams for documentation or team review.
Clarify First
Before generating diagrams or an assessment, confirm these inputs. If any is unknown or vague, ASK — do not assume:
Stop rule: ask only the 2-3 that most change the output. If the user says "just draft it," proceed and list your assumptions at the top of the artifact.
Tools
| Tool |
Purpose |
Command |
architecture_diagram_generator.py |
Generate component/layer/deployment diagrams from project structure |
python scripts/architecture_diagram_generator.py ./project --format mermaid --type component |
dependency_analyzer.py |
Score coupling and find circular dependencies across package managers |
python scripts/dependency_analyzer.py ./project --output json --check circular |
project_architect.py |
Detect architecture pattern, layer violations, and code smells |
python scripts/project_architect.py ./project --check layers --verbose |
Run any script with --help for full flags.
References
Load the reference that matches the task — keep this file lean and pull detail on demand:
- references/architecture_patterns.md — 9 architecture patterns (monolith, modular monolith, microservices, event-driven, CQRS, event sourcing, hexagonal, clean, API gateway) with trade-offs and code examples. Read when asked "which pattern?", "microservices vs monolith", "event-driven", or "CQRS".
- references/system_design_workflows.md — 6 step-by-step workflows: design interview, capacity planning, API design, database schema design, scalability assessment, migration planning. Read when asked "how to design?", "capacity planning", "API design", or "migration".
- references/tech_decision_guide.md — decision frameworks and comparison matrices for database, caching, message queue, auth, frontend framework, cloud provider, and API style. Read when asked "which database/framework/cloud/cache?".
- references/decision_workflows.md — the database-selection, architecture-pattern-selection, and monolith-vs-microservices decision workflows with matrices, checklists, and the ADR template. Read when making a documented architecture decision.
- references/tools-and-usage.md — detailed per-tool usage, example outputs, full flag tables, common-command catalog, tech-stack coverage, troubleshooting table, and success criteria. Read when running the scripts or interpreting their output.
Scope & Limitations
Covers: system-level architecture analysis (pattern detection, layer validation, component diagramming) for existing codebases; technology-agnostic dependency analysis across npm, pip, Poetry, Go modules, and Cargo; architecture decision workflows (database, pattern, monolith-vs-microservices); diagram generation in Mermaid, PlantUML, and ASCII.
Does NOT cover:
- Runtime performance profiling or load testing — use
senior-devops (capacity planning) and senior-qa (performance test harnesses).
- Security vulnerability scanning of dependencies — use
senior-security or senior-secops for CVE/SAST/DAST.
- Frontend component architecture and design-system auditing — use
senior-frontend and design-auditor.
- CI/CD pipeline design and deployment orchestration — use
senior-devops and release-orchestrator.
Integration Points
| Skill |
Integration |
Data Flow |
senior-backend |
Architecture patterns inform backend service boundaries and API contract design |
Architect assessment output (detected pattern, layer assignments) feeds into backend module scaffolding |
senior-devops |
Deployment diagrams and technology detection drive infrastructure-as-code decisions |
Deployment diagram type output + detected technologies list consumed by DevOps for Terraform/K8s config |
senior-security |
Dependency analysis surfaces packages that need security review |
Dependency list JSON (--output json) passed to security scanning for CVE correlation |
senior-fullstack |
Architecture pattern selection determines which fullstack scaffold template to use |
Pattern selection workflow result (e.g., modular monolith) maps to project_scaffolder.py --type flag |
code-reviewer |
Layer violation and god-class findings become review checklist items |
project_architect.py --output json issues array integrated into code review checklists |
tech-stack-evaluator |
Technology detection results feed tech stack evaluation for upgrade/migration decisions |
Detected technologies list and dependency versions inform stack evaluation decision matrices |
1---2name: senior-architect3description: System architecture design and review. Use when designing architecture, evaluating microservices vs monolith, writing ADRs, choosing a database, planning for scalability, reviewing system design, or generating architecture diagrams.4license: MIT + Commons Clause5---6# Senior Architect
7
8Architecture design and analysis tools for making informed technical decisions: visualize system structure, analyze dependencies and coupling, detect architectural patterns, and run decision workflows for databases, patterns, and monolith-vs-microservices trade-offs.
9
10## Core Capabilities
11
12- **Diagram generation** — produce component, layer, and deployment diagrams in Mermaid, PlantUML, or ASCII from a project directory.
13- **Dependency analysis** — map the dependency tree, score coupling (0-100), and detect circular dependencies across npm, pip, Poetry, Go modules, and Cargo.
14- **Pattern detection** — assess an existing codebase for layered/MVC/hexagonal/clean/microservices patterns, layer violations, god classes, and mixed concerns.
15- **Database selection** — match data characteristics, scale, and consistency needs to SQL/NoSQL options with an ADR template.
16- **Pattern & topology selection** — choose an architecture pattern by team size, deployment, and data-boundary requirements.
17- **Monolith vs microservices** — apply decision checklists and a modular-monolith-first hybrid strategy.
18
19## When to Use
20
21- Designing a new system or refactoring existing architecture.
22- Evaluating microservices vs monolith, or choosing a database.
23- Writing an ADR, planning for scalability, or reviewing a system design.
24- Generating architecture diagrams for documentation or team review.
25
26## Clarify First
27
28Before generating diagrams or an assessment, confirm these inputs. If any is unknown or vague, ASK — do not assume:
29
30- [ ] **Project root** — the codebase directory to analyze (drives pattern detection, dependency scoring, and diagram contents)
31- [ ] **Diagram type & format** — component / layer / deployment in Mermaid / PlantUML / ASCII (sets what the generator emits)
32- [ ] **Architecture decision in question** — e.g. database choice or monolith vs microservices (selects the decision workflow and ADR)
33
34Stop rule: ask only the 2-3 that most change the output. If the user says "just draft it," proceed and list your assumptions at the top of the artifact.
35
36## Tools
37
38| Tool | Purpose | Command |
39|------|---------|---------|
40| `architecture_diagram_generator.py` | Generate component/layer/deployment diagrams from project structure | `python scripts/architecture_diagram_generator.py ./project --format mermaid --type component` |
41| `dependency_analyzer.py` | Score coupling and find circular dependencies across package managers | `python scripts/dependency_analyzer.py ./project --output json --check circular` |
42| `project_architect.py` | Detect architecture pattern, layer violations, and code smells | `python scripts/project_architect.py ./project --check layers --verbose` |
43
44Run any script with `--help` for full flags.
45
46## References
47
48Load the reference that matches the task — keep this file lean and pull detail on demand:
49
50- **[references/architecture_patterns.md](references/architecture_patterns.md)** — 9 architecture patterns (monolith, modular monolith, microservices, event-driven, CQRS, event sourcing, hexagonal, clean, API gateway) with trade-offs and code examples. Read when asked "which pattern?", "microservices vs monolith", "event-driven", or "CQRS".
51- **[references/system_design_workflows.md](references/system_design_workflows.md)** — 6 step-by-step workflows: design interview, capacity planning, API design, database schema design, scalability assessment, migration planning. Read when asked "how to design?", "capacity planning", "API design", or "migration".
52- **[references/tech_decision_guide.md](references/tech_decision_guide.md)** — decision frameworks and comparison matrices for database, caching, message queue, auth, frontend framework, cloud provider, and API style. Read when asked "which database/framework/cloud/cache?".
53- **[references/decision_workflows.md](references/decision_workflows.md)** — the database-selection, architecture-pattern-selection, and monolith-vs-microservices decision workflows with matrices, checklists, and the ADR template. Read when making a documented architecture decision.
54- **[references/tools-and-usage.md](references/tools-and-usage.md)** — detailed per-tool usage, example outputs, full flag tables, common-command catalog, tech-stack coverage, troubleshooting table, and success criteria. Read when running the scripts or interpreting their output.
55
56## Scope & Limitations
57
58**Covers:** system-level architecture analysis (pattern detection, layer validation, component diagramming) for existing codebases; technology-agnostic dependency analysis across npm, pip, Poetry, Go modules, and Cargo; architecture decision workflows (database, pattern, monolith-vs-microservices); diagram generation in Mermaid, PlantUML, and ASCII.
59
60**Does NOT cover:**
61- Runtime performance profiling or load testing — use `senior-devops` (capacity planning) and `senior-qa` (performance test harnesses).
62- Security vulnerability scanning of dependencies — use `senior-security` or `senior-secops` for CVE/SAST/DAST.
63- Frontend component architecture and design-system auditing — use `senior-frontend` and `design-auditor`.
64- CI/CD pipeline design and deployment orchestration — use `senior-devops` and `release-orchestrator`.
65
66## Integration Points
67
68| Skill | Integration | Data Flow |
69|-------|-------------|-----------|
70| `senior-backend` | Architecture patterns inform backend service boundaries and API contract design | Architect assessment output (detected pattern, layer assignments) feeds into backend module scaffolding |
71| `senior-devops` | Deployment diagrams and technology detection drive infrastructure-as-code decisions | Deployment diagram type output + detected technologies list consumed by DevOps for Terraform/K8s config |
72| `senior-security` | Dependency analysis surfaces packages that need security review | Dependency list JSON (`--output json`) passed to security scanning for CVE correlation |
73| `senior-fullstack` | Architecture pattern selection determines which fullstack scaffold template to use | Pattern selection workflow result (e.g., modular monolith) maps to `project_scaffolder.py --type` flag |
74| `code-reviewer` | Layer violation and god-class findings become review checklist items | `project_architect.py --output json` issues array integrated into code review checklists |
75| `tech-stack-evaluator` | Technology detection results feed tech stack evaluation for upgrade/migration decisions | Detected technologies list and dependency versions inform stack evaluation decision matrices |
borghei