Architecture Decision Records: The Missing Handoff Artifact

Code tells you what the system does. Comments tell you how. Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) tell you why — and that's the most valuable knowledge in a handoff.

What is an ADR?

An Architecture Decision Record captures: - **Context** — What situation prompted this decision? - **Decision** — What was decided? - **Consequences** — What are the trade-offs? - **Alternatives Considered** — What else was evaluated? - **Status** — Is this decision still active?

Why ADRs Matter for Handoffs

Without ADRs, incoming teams face two problems: 1. They don't understand why things are built a certain way 2. They risk re-making decisions that were already evaluated and rejected

Best Practices

• Write ADRs at the time decisions are made, not during handoff
• Keep them lightweight — one page maximum
• Store them in the repository alongside the code
• Link ADRs to relevant code and documentation
• Review and update status during handoffs