Software Architecture

Use this skill to turn an intended outcome into a design that is understandable, testable, operable, secure, and changeable. Architecture is a set of consequential decisions and constraints, not a mandatory folder layout or a collection of patterns.

Activate when

• Designing a new application, library, service, API, worker, or subsystem.
• Refactoring a coupled, fragile, or hard-to-test codebase.
• Choosing between a simple module, layered design, modular monolith, event-driven design, or services.
• Defining domain boundaries, public contracts, data ownership, or integration seams.
• Reviewing architecture or recently changed code for quality and unnecessary complexity.
• Simplifying code while preserving behavior.

For a small, local change, use the smallest applicable parts of the workflow. Do not impose a full architecture exercise on a one-function fix.

Operating rules