/documentation-and-adrs

name: documentation-and-adrs
description: Records decisions and documentation, and detects when documentation has drifted from the code it describes. Use when you need to document an architecture decision (ADR) or the reasoning behind a design choice, when changing public APIs, shipping features, when docs may be stale or out of sync with the code they describe, when working out which module docs are still accurate, or when setting up a check so docs cannot silently go out of date again.

Documentation and ADRs

Overview

Document decisions, not just code. The most valuable documentation captures the *why* — the context, constraints, and trade-offs that led to a decision. Code shows *what* was built; documentation explains *why it was built this way* and *what alternatives were considered*. This context is essential for future humans and agents working in the codebase.

When to Use

• Making a significant architectural decision
• Choosing between competing approaches
• Adding or changing a public API
• Shipping a feature that changes user-facing behavior
• Onboarding new team members (or agents) to the project
• When you find yourself explaining the same thing repeatedly

**When NOT to use:** Don't document obvious code. Don't add comments that restate what the code already says. Don't write docs for throwaway prototypes.

Architecture Decision Records (ADRs)

ADRs capture the reasoning behind significant technical decisions. They're the highest-value documentation you can write.

When to Write an ADR

• Choosing a framework, library, or major dependency
• Designing a data model or database schema
• Selecting an authentication strategy
• Deciding on an API architecture (REST vs. GraphQL vs. tRPC)
• Choosing between build tools, hosting platforms, or infrastructure
• Any decision that would be expensive to reverse

Match the existing convention first

Before creating an ADR, inspect the available repository context for an established convention — existing ADRs, project instructions, and ADR-related configuration or tooling (e.g. an `.adr-dir` file). An established convention overrides the defaults below. Match:

• **Location and format** — e.g. `docs/adr/*.md`, `Documentation/Decisions/*.rst`, a MADR layout, or an `adr-tools` setup. Match the existing directory, file extension, and markup (Markdown vs reStructuredText).
• **Numbering and naming** — continue the existing sequence and filename pattern (`ADR-004-Title.rst`, `0004-title.md`, …); don't restart at 001 or introduce a second scheme.
• **Section headings** — reuse the project's heading set rather than imposing this template's.

If the available evidence conflicts, surface the conflict rather than silently introducing another scheme. Only when no convention can be established do you apply the default below.

ADR Template

Store ADRs in `docs/decisions/` with sequential numbering (unless the project already uses another location — see above):

# ADR-001: Use PostgreSQL for primary database

## Status
Proposed | Accepted | Superseded by ADR-XXX | Deprecated

## Date
2025-01-15

## Context
We need a primary database for the task management application. Key requirements:
- Relational data model (users, tasks, teams with relationships)
- ACID transactions for task state changes
- Support for full-text search on task content
- Managed hosting available (for small team, limited ops capacity)

## Decision
Use PostgreSQL with Prisma ORM.

## Alternatives Considered

### MongoDB
- Pros: Flexible schema, easy to start with
- Cons: Our data is inherently relational; would need to manage relationships manually
- Rejected: Relational data in a document store leads to complex joins or data duplication

### SQLite
- Pros: Zero configuration, embedded, fast for reads
- Cons: Limited concurrent write support, no managed hosting for production
- Rejected: Not suitable for multi-user web application in production

### MySQL
- Pros: Mature, widely supported
- Cons: PostgreSQL has better JSON support, full-text search, and ecosystem tooling
- Rejected: PostgreSQL is the better fit for our feature requirements

## Consequences
- Prisma provides type-safe database access and migration management
- We can use PostgreSQL's full-text search instead of adding Elasticsearch
- Team needs PostgreSQL knowledge (standard skill, low risk)
- Hosting on managed service (Supabase, Neon, or RDS)

ADR Lifecycle

PROPOSED → ACCEPTED → (SUPERSEDED or DEPRECATED)

• **Don't delete old ADRs.** They capture historical context.
• When a decision changes, write a new ADR that references and supersedes the old one.

Inline Documentation

When to Comment

Comment the *why*, not the *what*:

// BAD: Restates the code
// Increment counter by 1
counter += 1;

// GOOD: Explains non-obvious intent
// Rate limit uses a fixed window that opens on the first request after the
// previous one expires, not on a clock schedule. Known gap: a client can spend
// the full limit just before a reset and again just after (2x in a moment)
if (now - windowStart > WINDOW_SIZE_MS) {
  counter = 0;
  windowStart = now;
}

When NOT to Comment

// Don't comment self-explanatory code
function calculateTotal(items: CartItem[]): number {
  return items.reduce((sum, item) => sum + item.price * item.quantity, 0);
}

// Don't leave TODO comments for things you should just do now
// TODO: add error handling  ← Just add it

// Don't leave commented-out code
// const oldImplementation = () => { ... }  ← Delete it, git has history

Document Known Gotchas

/**
 * IMPORTANT: This function must be called before the first render.
 * If called after hydration, it causes a flash of unstyled content
 * because the theme context isn't available during SSR.
 *
 * See ADR-003 for the full design rationale.
 */
export function initializeTheme(theme: Theme): void {
  // ...
}

API Documentation