Architecture decision record

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• Record number

  For example: ADR-0012

• Decision title

  For example: Use PostgreSQL for the orders service

• Status

• Date

  For example: 12 March 2027

• Decision makers

  For example: Platform team lead, orders team lead, security engineer

• Context

  The problem, the forces and the limits.

  For example: The orders service stores 20 million rows and needs transactions across tables. The current store has no transaction support and the team has no experience running it.

• What matters most

  One per line, most important first.

  For example: Data consistency Team experience Running cost Ability to scale to 5x in two years

• Options considered

  Include the options you rejected.

  For example: 1. PostgreSQL, managed. Strong transactions, team knows it, higher cost. 2. A document database. Fast to start, weaker joins and transactions. 3. Stay with the current store. No migration, but the problem remains.

• Decision

  For example: We will use managed PostgreSQL for the orders service.

• Why

  For example: It meets the consistency need, the team can support it, and cost is acceptable within the platform budget.

• Consequences

  Both good and bad.

  For example: Good: simpler code and safer orders. Bad: a three month migration and a yearly hosting cost. We must plan the data move and a rollback.

• When to revisitoptional

  For example: If volume passes 100 million rows or hosting costs double.

• Related decisions and linksoptional

  For example: Replaces ADR-0004. Related: ADR-0009.

1. 1Context
2. 2What matters most
3. 3Options considered
4. 4Decision
5. 5Why
6. 6Consequences
7. 7When to revisit
8. 8Related

1. 01

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What details does this template ask for?

The form asks for 13 details, starting with Record number, Decision title, Status, Date, Decision makers. 2 more are optional.

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Does a security policy make us secure?

No document does that alone. A policy helps when it matches what people really do, so keep it short, explain it to your team and review it every year.

Is a project charter only for large projects?

No. A small project benefits too, because one page that names the goal, the limits and the decision maker prevents most arguments later.

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