| name | create-adr |
| description | Use when the user wants to record an architecture decision, says "write an ADR", "new ADR", "document this decision", or when a non-trivial architectural choice is made during Context or Exploration that future contributors need to understand. |
Create Architecture Decision Record (ADR)
ADRs capture architectural decisions with their context, alternatives, and consequences.
When to trigger
- A fundamental architectural choice is being made (Context step — required for G1)
- A new decision arises during Exploration (as needed for G2)
- User explicitly asks to document a decision
Steps
- Read the template: templates/adr-template.md.
- Find the ADR directory (
context/adrs/, docs/adrs/, or per project CLAUDE.md).
- Determine next number (ADR-NNNN format, zero-padded).
- Fill in:
- Title (short, decision-focused, e.g. "Use PostgreSQL for primary storage")
- Status:
Proposed (becomes Accepted after human approval)
- Context: the forces at play, constraints, requirements
- Decision: what was decided, stated clearly
- Alternatives considered (at least one)
- Consequences: positive AND negative, short-term AND long-term
- Check with
architecture-reviewer subagent if the decision might conflict with existing ADRs.
- Confirm path and content with user before writing.
Rules
- Never mark an ADR
Accepted without explicit human approval.
- One decision per ADR.
- Supersede rather than edit accepted ADRs: if a decision changes, write a new ADR with
Status: Accepted, supersedes ADR-XXXX and update the old one to Superseded by ADR-YYYY.