arc42 Architecture Documentation¶

Version: 1.0
Date: YYYY-MM-DD
Status: Draft
Author(s): \<author name(s)>

This is the master document for the arc42 architecture documentation of \<System Name>. It provides navigation to all 12 sections of the arc42 template.

System Overview¶

Table of Contents¶

1. Introduction and Goals¶

Describes the relevant requirements and the driving forces that the architecture team must consider. These include underlying business goals, essential features, essential functional requirements, quality goals, and relevant stakeholders.

2. Architecture Constraints¶

Any requirement that constrains software architects in their freedom of design and implementation decisions or decisions about the development process. These constraints sometimes go beyond individual systems and are valid for whole organizations and companies.

3. Context and Scope¶

Delimits the system from all communication partners (neighboring systems and users). Specifies the external interfaces from a business and technical perspective.

4. Solution Strategy¶

A short summary and explanation of the fundamental decisions and solution strategies that shape the system architecture. Includes technology decisions, decomposition strategy, and approaches to achieve key quality goals.

5. Building Block View¶

Static decomposition of the system into building blocks (modules, components, subsystems, classes, interfaces, packages, libraries, frameworks) as well as their dependencies and relationships.

6. Runtime View¶

Behavior of building blocks as scenarios, covering important use cases or features, interactions at critical external interfaces, operation and administration, and error and exception scenarios.

7. Deployment View¶

Technical infrastructure used to execute the system, with mapping of building blocks to infrastructure elements. Also captures communication channels, network topologies, and other physical infrastructure aspects.

8. Cross-cutting Concepts¶

Overall, principal regulations and solution ideas that are relevant in multiple parts of the system. Concepts relate to multiple building blocks and encompass topics like domain models, architecture patterns, security, and more.

9. Architecture Decisions¶

Important, expensive, large-scale, or risky architecture decisions including rationale. Documented in Architecture Decision Record (ADR) format.

10. Quality Requirements¶

Quality requirements as a quality tree with scenarios. The most important ones have already been described in Section 1.2 (Quality Goals). Here, additional quality requirements with lesser priority are captured.

11. Risks and Technical Debt¶

Known technical risks and technical debt. What potential problems exist? What is the current technical debt, and what are the consequences if it is not addressed?

12. Glossary¶

Important domain and technical terms that stakeholders use when discussing the system. Ensures a common vocabulary and understanding.

Revision History¶

Based on the arc42 architecture template (https://arc42.org).
Created by Dr. Peter Hruschka and Dr. Gernot Starke.
Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.