discover-architecture
Installation
SKILL.md
Discover Architecture
Analyze a codebase to identify its architecture style(s) by reading actual source code — not by counting filesystem signals or matching directory name patterns. Architecture is about structure and relationships: how modules communicate, where boundaries are enforced, what the dependency graph looks like. These things require reading code, not scanning for Dockerfiles.
The 12 Canonical Styles
These are the only valid architecture style classifications. Read references/styles.md for full definitions, distinguishing characteristics, and production frequency data.
| Style | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Microkernel | Host application with plugin/extension registry. Core provides lifecycle management; plugins provide domain behavior. Extension point contracts, dynamic module loading. |
| Layered | Horizontal separation into layers (presentation/business/data). Strict dependency direction — upper layers depend on lower, never reverse. |
| Modular Monolith | Single deployable unit with well-defined module boundaries. Modules are logically independent but physically coupled. Module registries, feature toggles. |
| Event-Driven | Components communicate through events, not direct calls. Message brokers, event buses, pub/sub patterns, async handlers. |
| Pipeline | Data flows through ordered processing stages. Each stage transforms input to output. Middleware chains, filter pipelines, compiler passes. |
| Microservices | Independent services with own databases, deployed separately. Service mesh, API gateways, per-service CI/CD. |
| Service-Based | Coarse-grained services sharing infrastructure. Less distributed than microservices — shared databases, simpler communication. |
| Hexagonal Architecture | Core business logic isolated in center. External concerns connect through ports (interfaces) and adapters (implementations). Dependency inversion enforcement. |
| Domain-Driven Design | Code organized around business domains (bounded contexts). Aggregates, domain events, ubiquitous language, repository pattern. |
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