Architectural Decision Records (ADRs) are documents that capture important architectural decisions made during a project.

They provide a structured way to document the context, rationale, and implications of key decisions, ensuring that the reasoning behind those decisions is preserved and communicated to stakeholders, team members, and future maintainers.

An ADR typically includes the following sections:

1. Title: A concise and descriptive name for the decision.

2. Status: The current state of the decision (e.g., proposed, accepted, deprecated, superseded).

3. Context: The background or problem that necessitated the decision. This includes the circumstances, constraints, and requirements that influenced the decision.

4. Decision: A clear statement of the decision that was made.

5. Rationale: The reasoning behind the decision, including trade-offs, alternatives considered, and why this decision was chosen over others.

6. Consequences: The expected or observed outcomes of the decision, including benefits, drawbacks, and potential risks.

7. Alternatives: Other options that were considered and why they were rejected.

8. Related Decisions: Links to other ADRs or decisions that are relevant to this one.

9. References: Any supporting materials, such as documents, diagrams, or discussions.

When to Use ADRs?

1. Long-term projects where team members may change over time.

2. Complex systems where architectural decisions have significant implications.

3. Open-source projects where contributors need to understand the reasoning behind decisions.

4. Teams that value documentation and knowledge sharing.

ADR Tools you need to know

1. https://github.com/npryce/adr-tools

2. https://github.com/adr/madr

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