Architecture
Purpose
Architectural decision-making framework. Requirements analysis, trade-off evaluation, ADR documentation. Use when making architecture decisions or analyzing system design.
This skill provides operational guidance for Architecture, including tool usage patterns, workflows, and quality expectations aligned with Syncolab skill standards.
When to Use
- Use when the user needs help with Architecture.
- When integrations for this domain are available and the task matches the workflows below.
When NOT to Use
- When the task is unrelated to Architecture or covered by a more specific skill.
- When required integrations or credentials are unavailable.
Expected Outcome
- Correct use of domain tools with verified results (not fabricated).
- Clear summary of actions taken, data returned, and recommended next steps.
- Errors and missing permissions reported explicitly.
Inputs to Gather
- User goal, constraints, and any identifiers (URLs, IDs, project keys).
- Available tool sets and connection status.
- Relevant context from related systems before destructive writes.
Workflow
- Confirm the request maps to Architecture and required tools are available.
- Gather identifiers and scope (project, channel, repo, date range, etc.).
- Follow the domain guidance below; prefer list/search before get/update when applicable.
- Execute tool calls using schemas from the integration; never invent tool output.
- Summarize results and offer logical follow-ups.
Architecture Decision Framework
"Requirements drive architecture. Trade-offs inform decisions. ADRs capture rationale."
🎯 Selective Reading Rule
Read ONLY files relevant to the request! Check the content map, find what you need.
| File |
Description |
When to Read |
context-discovery.md |
Questions to ask, project classification |
Starting architecture design |
trade-off-analysis.md |
ADR templates, trade-off framework |
Documenting decisions |
pattern-selection.md |
Decision trees, anti-patterns |
Choosing patterns |
examples.md |
MVP, SaaS, Enterprise examples |
Reference implementations |
patterns-reference.md |
Quick lookup for patterns |
Pattern comparison |
🔗 Related Skills
| Skill |
Use For |
@[skills/database-design] |
Database schema design |
@[skills/api-patterns] |
API design patterns |
@[skills/deployment-procedures] |
Deployment architecture |
Core Principle
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
- Start simple
- Add complexity ONLY when proven necessary
- You can always add patterns later
- Removing complexity is MUCH harder than adding it
Validation Checklist
Before finalizing architecture:
Tool Availability Rules
| Access |
Behavior |
| Full tool access |
Execute workflows, verify outputs, report errors. |
| Read-only |
Inspect and plan; provide exact commands or dispatch request for writes. |
| No integration |
State limitation; do not fabricate API results. |
Related tool sets
Review / Decision / Execution Criteria
- Prefer smallest safe change; confirm destructive actions with the user.
- Use evidence from tool responses; cite IDs and links when present.
- Match integration-specific conventions (JQL, RFC3339, A1 notation, etc.).
Output Format
Report:
- What was requested and what was done.
- Key results (tables or bullets).
- Errors, blockers, or missing permissions.
- Suggested next steps.
Quality Bar
- Specific, actionable, and grounded in tool output.
- Concise unless the user asked for detail.
- Respect rate limits, pagination, and API semantics.
Safety and Boundaries
- Do not commit secrets, tokens, or PII into skills or user-visible logs.
- Do not fabricate validation, send, or write confirmations.
- Confirm destructive operations (delete, destroy, mass update) when appropriate.
Escalation / Dispatch Rules
- If the task spans multiple domains, use or suggest related skills via
relationships.skills.
- If write access is required but unavailable, dispatch or ask the user to enable tools.
References
- Legacy content migrated from
skills/old_skills.json (architecture).
skills/skill.instruction.md, skills/meta.instructions.md
1---2name: architecture3description: Architectural decision-making framework. Requirements analysis, trade-off evaluation, ADR documentation. Use when making architecture decisions or analyzing system design.4---56# Architecture78## Purpose910Architectural decision-making framework. Requirements analysis, trade-off evaluation, ADR documentation. Use when making architecture decisions or analyzing system design.1112This skill provides operational guidance for Architecture, including tool usage patterns, workflows, and quality expectations aligned with Syncolab skill standards.1314## When to Use1516- Use when the user needs help with Architecture.17- When integrations for this domain are available and the task matches the workflows below.1819## When NOT to Use2021- When the task is unrelated to Architecture or covered by a more specific skill.22- When required integrations or credentials are unavailable.2324## Expected Outcome2526- Correct use of domain tools with verified results (not fabricated).27- Clear summary of actions taken, data returned, and recommended next steps.28- Errors and missing permissions reported explicitly.2930## Inputs to Gather3132- User goal, constraints, and any identifiers (URLs, IDs, project keys).33- Available tool sets and connection status.34- Relevant context from related systems before destructive writes.3536## Workflow37381. Confirm the request maps to Architecture and required tools are available.392. Gather identifiers and scope (project, channel, repo, date range, etc.).403. Follow the domain guidance below; prefer list/search before get/update when applicable.414. Execute tool calls using schemas from the integration; never invent tool output.425. Summarize results and offer logical follow-ups.4344# Architecture Decision Framework4546> "Requirements drive architecture. Trade-offs inform decisions. ADRs capture rationale."4748## 🎯 Selective Reading Rule4950**Read ONLY files relevant to the request!** Check the content map, find what you need.5152| File | Description | When to Read |53|------|-------------|--------------|54| `context-discovery.md` | Questions to ask, project classification | Starting architecture design |55| `trade-off-analysis.md` | ADR templates, trade-off framework | Documenting decisions |56| `pattern-selection.md` | Decision trees, anti-patterns | Choosing patterns |57| `examples.md` | MVP, SaaS, Enterprise examples | Reference implementations |58| `patterns-reference.md` | Quick lookup for patterns | Pattern comparison |5960---6162## 🔗 Related Skills6364| Skill | Use For |65|-------|---------|66| `@[skills/database-design]` | Database schema design |67| `@[skills/api-patterns]` | API design patterns |68| `@[skills/deployment-procedures]` | Deployment architecture |6970---7172## Core Principle7374**"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."**7576- Start simple77- Add complexity ONLY when proven necessary78- You can always add patterns later79- Removing complexity is MUCH harder than adding it8081---8283## Validation Checklist8485Before finalizing architecture:8687- [ ] Requirements clearly understood88- [ ] Constraints identified89- [ ] Each decision has trade-off analysis90- [ ] Simpler alternatives considered91- [ ] ADRs written for significant decisions92- [ ] Team expertise matches chosen patterns9394## Tool Availability Rules9596| Access | Behavior |97|--------|----------|98| Full tool access | Execute workflows, verify outputs, report errors. |99| Read-only | Inspect and plan; provide exact commands or dispatch request for writes. |100| No integration | State limitation; do not fabricate API results. |101102### Related tool sets103104- `openai`105106107108## Review / Decision / Execution Criteria109110- Prefer smallest safe change; confirm destructive actions with the user.111- Use evidence from tool responses; cite IDs and links when present.112- Match integration-specific conventions (JQL, RFC3339, A1 notation, etc.).113114## Output Format115116Report:1171181. What was requested and what was done.1192. Key results (tables or bullets).1203. Errors, blockers, or missing permissions.1214. Suggested next steps.122123## Quality Bar124125- Specific, actionable, and grounded in tool output.126- Concise unless the user asked for detail.127- Respect rate limits, pagination, and API semantics.128129## Safety and Boundaries130131- Do not commit secrets, tokens, or PII into skills or user-visible logs.132- Do not fabricate validation, send, or write confirmations.133- Confirm destructive operations (delete, destroy, mass update) when appropriate.134135## Escalation / Dispatch Rules136137- If the task spans multiple domains, use or suggest related skills via `relationships.skills`.138- If write access is required but unavailable, dispatch or ask the user to enable tools.139140## References141142- Legacy content migrated from `skills/old_skills.json` (`architecture`).143- `skills/skill.instruction.md`, `skills/meta.instructions.md`