| name | wicked-garden-engineering-architecture |
| description | Complete solution architecture design with patterns, decisions, and diagrams.
Define overall system structure, technology choices, and architectural trade-offs.
Use when: "design the architecture", "what's the overall structure",
"architecture patterns", "technology stack", "system architecture"
|
| portability | portable |
| phase_relevance | ["design","build"] |
| archetype_relevance | ["*"] |
Architecture Skill
Design end-to-end solutions with clear patterns, decisions, and visual documentation.
For genuinely structural greenfield design (system boundaries, cross-cutting
design trade-offs, full ADR sets), dispatch the
wicked-garden-engineering-solution-architect fork skill.
Purpose
Move from requirements to implementable architecture through:
- Pattern selection and justification
- Technology stack decisions
- Cross-cutting concern planning
- Architectural Decision Records (ADRs)
Process
1. Gather Context
- Read outcome document
- Analyze requirements
- Identify constraints
- Understand scale needs
2. Select Patterns
Choose architectural style:
- Monolithic - Simple deployment, single codebase
- Microservices - Independent scaling, team autonomy
- Serverless - Event-driven, auto-scaling
- Event-Driven - Loose coupling, async
- Layered - Clear separation, traditional
3. Make Decisions
Recommend stack based on:
- Requirements fit
- Team expertise
- Ecosystem maturity
- Cost considerations
4. Document
Creates in phases/design/:
design/
โโโ architecture.md
โโโ decisions/
โ โโโ 001-architecture-style.md
โ โโโ 002-tech-stack.md
โโโ diagrams/
โโโ system-context.mmd
Output Format
See ADR Template for decision records.
See Architecture Template - Design and Architecture Template - Deployment for full structure.
Integration
With wicked-crew
Auto-engaged during design phase.
Publishes: [arch:design:completed:success]
With qe
Architecture informs test strategy:
- Critical paths
- Failure modes
- Performance targets
With native tasks
Track work with ADR links via native TaskCreate:
TaskCreate(
subject="ADR-001",
description="Reference: phases/design/decisions/001.md",
metadata={
"event_type": "task",
"chain_id": "{project}.design",
"source_agent": "solution-architect",
"phase": "design"
}
)
Architectural Thinking
Balance Trade-offs
- Simplicity vs Flexibility - Easy now vs extensible later
- Performance vs Maintainability - Fast vs readable
- Coupling vs Duplication - DRY vs independent
- Build vs Buy - Control vs speed
Apply Principles
- SOLID - Single responsibility, dependency inversion
- YAGNI - Build for now, not speculation
- Separation of Concerns - Clear boundaries
Consider NFRs
- Scalability - Users, growth rate
- Security - Threats, compliance
- Performance - Latency, throughput
- Reliability - Uptime, DR
- Maintainability - Team, skillset
Detect Scope Creep
When reviewing changes (not greenfield):
- Flag unauthorized architectural changes (new boundaries, changed patterns)
- Flag "while I'm here" improvements beyond the task scope
- Flag components restructured beyond what was requested
Common Patterns
Layered
UI โ Application โ Domain โ Infrastructure
Use: Traditional apps, clear separation
Microservices
API Gateway โ Services
Use: Large teams, independent deployment
Event-Driven
Producers โ Bus โ Consumers
Use: Async workflows, loose coupling
See Structural Patterns and Advanced Patterns for detailed examples.
Events
[arch:design:completed:success] - Architecture done[arch:decision:documented:success] - ADR created[arch:diagram:generated:success] - Diagram created
Tips
- Start Simple - Don't over-engineer
- Document Decisions - Future you will thank you
- Show Alternatives - Explain your choices
- Use Diagrams - Visual communication
- Make it Scannable - Quick understanding
Reference Materials
