architect

Your task: produce a comprehensive implementation approach document that makes every foundational decision explicit, with rationale. This is the PROJECT-LEVEL architecture — it covers decisions shared across ALL versions. Individual versions get their own architecture docs via /architect-version.

Phase 1 — Load Context

1. Find the project spec. Check:
   • Argument provided → use as path or search for matching spec
   • specs/<project-name>.md in the current directory
   • specs/spec.md if only one spec exists
   • If no specs/ locally: check CLAUDE.md (project and user level) for references to a second-brain or external specs location. Search there for a folder matching the current project (by name, git remote, or project name).
   • If nothing found, tell the user to run /ideate first
2. Read the spec — pay attention to the Project Context section (type, language, workspace, code repository)
3. If specs/roadmap.md exists (in the specs location), read it
4. If any specs/v*.md version files exist, skim them
5. Check if specs/architecture.md already exists — if so, ask user whether to redo or revise

The spec's Project Context → Type tells you what kind of architecture this needs.

Phase 2 — Identify Decision Points

Catalog every foundational decision needed. The categories depend on the project type.

For Code / Product Projects

• Language & Runtime — Programming language(s), version requirements, package management
• Web Framework — Backend API framework, frontend framework
• Data Storage — Primary database(s), caches, state storage
• Task Processing — Queue system, worker architecture, job patterns
• LLM & AI — LLM abstraction, embedding strategy, provider config (if applicable)
• External Services — Third-party APIs, integrations
• Pipeline Orchestration — How processing steps are defined and coordinated
• State Management — What's tracked where, incremental processing
• Real-time Communication — Live updates, webhooks, SSE
• Observability — Tracing, metrics, logging, cost tracking
• Frontend — UI framework, component library, data visualization
• Configuration — Settings management (files, env vars, runtime)
• Project Structure — Directory layout, module organization
• Setup & Deployment — How to install dependencies, configure, start, and deploy

Not every project needs all categories. Skip what's irrelevant.

For Business / Consulting Projects

• Delivery Structure — What gets delivered, in what order, in what format
• Document Organization — How deliverables are structured and where they live
• Tools & Resources — What tools, data sources, or reference materials are needed
• Stakeholder Communication — How updates, reviews, and approvals flow
• Quality Gates — What review/approval steps exist before delivery
• Dependencies — External inputs, access, or decisions needed
• Risk Mitigation — How identified risks are managed

For Research / Exploration Projects

• Research Methodology — How investigation will be conducted
• Source Strategy — What sources to use, how to evaluate them
• Output Format — Structure of the research output
• Analysis Framework — How findings will be organized and evaluated
• Tool Selection — Research tools, data collection methods
• Scope Management — How to handle scope expansion during research

For Hybrid Projects

Mix categories from the above as appropriate.

Phase 3 — Consult User

For each major decision, use AskUserQuestion to present:

• The decision to make
• 2-4 concrete options with trade-offs (include a comparison table when useful)
• Your recommendation and why

Group related decisions (2-3 per round) to keep the conversation efficient. Iterate until all major decisions are resolved.

Phase 4 — Write Architecture Doc

Write specs/architecture.md (relative to where the project spec lives).

For Code Projects

Include these sections:

1. Technology Stack — Table: Layer, Technology, Rationale
2. System Architecture — Diagram (ASCII/mermaid) showing components and data flow
3. Project Structure — Full directory tree with annotations
4. Configuration — Config file format, environment variables
5. API Routes — Endpoints grouped by domain (method, path, description)
6. Database Schemas — Full schema definitions with comments
7. Pipeline Architecture — Job flow, queue patterns, step transitions
8. State Management — Data store responsibilities, incremental processing
9. Observability — Instrumentation strategy, metrics, cost tracking
10. Key Design Decisions — Table: Decision, Choice, Why
11. Setup & Deployment — How to install, configure, start, and deploy the project. Include exact commands, environment setup, and any prerequisites.
12. Dependencies — Explicit dependency lists with version constraints

For Non-Code Projects

Include these sections:

1. Delivery Approach — How the project will be executed, what phases
2. Deliverable Structure — What gets produced, document templates, folder organization
3. Tools & Resources — What's needed, where to find it, access requirements
4. Communication Plan — How stakeholders stay informed, review cadence
5. Quality Framework — How deliverables are reviewed and validated
6. Key Decisions — Table: Decision, Choice, Why
7. Risk Register — Risk, Impact, Mitigation, Owner
8. Dependencies & Prerequisites — What's needed from outside the project

Writing Principles

• Show, don't tell. Include actual schemas, config examples, code patterns, directory trees, document templates — not descriptions of them.
• Rationale everywhere. Every choice should have a "Why" connected to project constraints.
• Concrete over abstract. Show actual queries, actual configs, actual document outlines.
• Diagrams for complex relationships. Use mermaid for architecture, data flow, sequences.

Phase 5 — Consistency Check

Before finalizing, verify:

• Every success criterion from the spec has a corresponding component in the architecture
• Every deliverable has a clear production path
• No component references something not described in the architecture
• The architecture matches the project type (don't describe API routes for a research project)

Phase 6 — Final Review

Present a summary:

• Key decisions made and their rationale
• Any deferred decisions (and when they'll be resolved)
• Risks or concerns
• Suggested next step: "Run /plan to design the delivery milestones, then /orchestrate to execute each version."

Ask for final sign-off.