architectural-decision-records-adr

name	architectural-decision-records-adr
description	Guidance and best practices for architectural decision records (adr).

Architectural Decision Records (ADR)

Procedure

1. Identify a Significant Decision

Use ADRs for decisions that are:

• High Impact: Affects many parts of the system.
• Difficult to Revert: Choosing a database, language, or primary framework.
• Controversial: Where multiple valid paths exist.

2. Creating the ADR File

Store records in /docs/adr/ using a sequential naming convention: XXXX-title.md.

3. Use the Standard Template

# ADR 0005: Use PostgreSQL instead of MongoDB

**Date**: 2024-02-09
**Status**: Accepted
**Deciders**: @team-leads

## Context
Our application requires complex relational queries and ACID compliance for financial transactions. While MongoDB is easier to scale horizontally, the current data model is highly relational.

## Decision
We will use PostgreSQL as our primary database.

## Consequences
- **Positive**: Native support for relational joins, strong consistency, and JSONB for semi-structured data.
- **Negative**: Requires schema migrations; horizontal scaling is more complex than MongoDB.

4. Review and Merge

Treat ADRs like code. Submit a PR, discuss the decision, and once accepted, merge it into the main branch.

Constraints

• Keep it Objective: Focus on facts and trade-offs, not personal preferences.
• Update Status: If a decision is later changed, do not delete the old ADR. Instead, create a new one and mark the old one as Superseded.

Expected Output

A chronological history of the project's architecture that allows new team members to understand why certain choices were made.