architectural-decision-record
Create, extract, or convert an ADR (architectural decision record) using the ADR template. Use when creating new ADRs, extracting an ADR from existing documentation, converting a document into an ADR, recording an architecture or design decision, or updating the status of an existing ADR. Does not create or update enforceable coding standards or conventions — use coding-standard for that. Does not write feature or system documentation — use project-documentation instead.
npx skills add testdouble/han --skill architectural-decision-record --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
# Create ADR ## Operating Principles - **YAGNI applies to ADRs themselves.** Apply the evidence-based YAGNI rule from [../../references/yagni-rule.md](../../references/yagni-rule.md). An ADR is worth recording only when there is a concrete forcing function today — a real decision the team is actively making, an existing code path or architectural choice that will be locked in by this record, an applicable regulation, a customer commitment, or a documented incident that drove the choice. ADRs about decisions that don't have to be made yet, "for future flexibility", "best practice says we should pick X", or symmetry with other ADRs ("we have one for auth, so we should have one for billing") are YAGNI candidates and the ADR should not be written. When proposed, recommend deferral with the trigger that would justify writing the ADR (a real decision arising, a real incident, a real regulation taking effect). The user always wins; the rule's job is to make the cost of writing speculative architectural records visible — every ADR is a future-reader's load and a pattern future agents will treat as committed. - **The companion evidence rule applies to the ADR's supporting evidence.** Apply
- Operating Principles
- Project Context
- Step 1: Determine Mode
- Step 2: Discover Project Structure
- Step 3: Gather Context
- Explore the Codebase
- Compile Evidence
- Dispatch Architectural Review
- Step 4: Write the ADR
- Step 5: Integration
- Step 6: Verification
- Step 7: Readability Self-Check
What does the architectural-decision-record skill do?
Create, extract, or convert an ADR (architectural decision record) using the ADR template. Use when creating new ADRs, extracting an ADR from existing documentation, converting a document into an ADR, recording an architecture or design decision, or updating the status of an existing ADR. Does not create or update enforceable coding standards or conventions — use coding-standard for that. Does not write feature or system documentation — use project-documentation instead.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add testdouble/han --skill architectural-decision-record --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From testdouble/han, a repository with 154 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.