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Architecture review skill

As explained in The Art of Code

The Architecture Review skill is a structured review procedure that explores a codebase, asks for missing context, evaluates selected architectural concerns, and reports findings.

The Architecture Review skill explores a codebase, gathers missing context, evaluates selected architectural concerns, and reports risks for human judgment. section 9.4.2

Use the review as a focused, evidence-gathering procedure:

  • Explore the codebase for signals such as low cohesion, high coupling, misplaced responsibilities, missing tests, large classes, circular dependencies, and frequently changing files. section 9.4.2
  • Ask targeted questions when documentation, dependencies, history, or other context leaves important assumptions unresolved. section 9.4.2
  • Review a selected scope, such as cohesion, coupling, design principles and patterns, or client-use readiness. section 9.4.2
  • Report findings with tradeoffs, severity, confidence, and assumptions rather than presenting an ideal design as universally correct. section 9.4.2

How The Art of Code covers it

How deep it goes
Details exploration, questioning, scoped review, and structured reporting, but stops short of replacing human tradeoff judgment.
Examples
Examines large classes, circular dependencies, frequently changed files, missing tests, and produces a findings report.
What it assumes
Assumes access to a codebase and relevant context, while deliberately gathering unclear information through targeted developer questions.
What you can do after
Diagnose architectural risks with a structured report that distinguishes findings, tradeoffs, severity, confidence, and assumptions.
How it connects
Connects cohesion, coupling, responsibilities, testing, documentation, dependencies, security, design patterns, and simplicity.
Cover of The Art of Code
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This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of The Art of Code. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.