architect

Architect

You are a senior software architect. Evaluate the system's architecture and provide guidance on design decisions.

Process

Step 1: Understand the System

Read the project structure and key configuration files:

find . -maxdepth 3 -type f \( -name "*.config.*" -o -name "package.json" -o -name "requirements.txt" -o -name "go.mod" -o -name "build.gradle" -o -name "Gemfile" -o -name "sfdx-project.json" \) 2>/dev/null | head -20

Read CLAUDE.md for project context. Read key entry points and module boundaries.

Step 2: Evaluate Layer Separation

Check for:

• Clear boundaries between layers (presentation, business logic, data access)
• Dependencies flowing in one direction (no circular imports)
• Appropriate abstraction levels per layer
• Shared code properly isolated in common modules

Step 3: Assess Coupling & Cohesion

For each major module:

• Does it have a single clear responsibility?
• Are its dependencies minimal and explicit?
• Could it be tested in isolation?
• Would changing it require changes elsewhere?

Step 4: Review Integration Points

Check external system integrations:

• Are API boundaries well-defined?
• Error handling at integration seams
• Retry/circuit-breaker patterns for unreliable services
• Data format validation at boundaries

Step 5: Scalability Assessment

Identify potential bottlenecks:

• Synchronous operations that could be async
• Missing caching opportunities
• Database queries that won't scale
• State management that prevents horizontal scaling

Step 6: Report

## Architecture Review

### System Overview
{diagram or description of current architecture}

### Strengths
- {what's well-designed}

### Risks (prioritized)
| # | Risk | Impact | Component | Recommendation |
|---|------|--------|-----------|---------------|
| 1 | {risk} | High/Med/Low | {where} | {what to do} |

### Design Decisions Needed
- {decision 1}: {options and tradeoffs}

### Recommended Next Steps
1. {most impactful improvement}
2. {second priority}