Technical Decision Documentation - Complete Guide

# Architecture Decision Records Implementation

class ArchitectureDecisionRecord {
  constructor() {
    this.template = this.getADRTemplate();
    this.records = new Map();
    this.categories = new Map();
  }
  
  createADR(decision) {
    const adr = {
      id: this.generateADRId(),
      title: decision.title,
      status: decision.status || 'proposed',
      date: new Date(),
      deciders: decision.deciders || [],
      consulted: decision.consulted || [],
      informed: decision.informed || [],
      context: decision.context,
      decision: decision.decision,
      consequences: decision.consequences || [],
      alternatives: decision.alternatives || []
    };
    
    this.records.set(adr.id, adr);
    this.categorizeADR(adr);
    return adr;
  }
  
  getADRTemplate() {
    return {
      title: 'ADR Title',
      status: 'proposed|accepted|rejected|superseded',
      date: 'YYYY-MM-DD',
      deciders: ['List of decision makers'],
      consulted: ['List of people consulted'],
      informed: ['List of people informed'],
      context: 'The context and problem statement',
      decision: 'The decision that was made',
      consequences: ['List of consequences'],
      alternatives: ['List of alternatives considered']
    };
  }
  
  generateADRId() {
    const count = this.records.size + 1;
    return `ADR-${count.toString().padStart(3, '0')}`;
  }
  
  categorizeADR(adr) {
    const category = this.determineCategory(adr);
    if (!this.categories.has(category)) {
      this.categories.set(category, []);
    }
    this.categories.get(category).push(adr.id);
  }
  
  determineCategory(adr) {
    const title = adr.title.toLowerCase();
    if (title.includes('database') || title.includes('db')) return 'database';
    if (title.includes('api') || title.includes('service')) return 'api';
    if (title.includes('frontend') || title.includes('ui')) return 'frontend';
    if (title.includes('deployment') || title.includes('infrastructure')) return 'infrastructure';
    if (title.includes('security') || title.includes('auth')) return 'security';
    return 'general';
  }
  
  updateADRStatus(adrId, newStatus) {
    const adr = this.records.get(adrId);
    if (adr) {
      adr.status = newStatus;
      adr.lastUpdated = new Date();
    }
  }
  
  supersedeADR(adrId, newADR) {
    const oldADR = this.records.get(adrId);
    if (oldADR) {
      oldADR.status = 'superseded';
      oldADR.supersededBy = newADR.id;
      oldADR.lastUpdated = new Date();
    }
    
    return this.createADR(newADR);
  }
  
  getADRsByCategory(category) {
    const adrIds = this.categories.get(category) || [];
    return adrIds.map(id => this.records.get(id));
  }
  
  searchADRs(query) {
    const results = [];
    for (const [id, adr] of this.records) {
      if (this.matchesQuery(adr, query)) {
        results.push(adr);
      }
    }
    return results;
  }
  
  matchesQuery(adr, query) {
    const searchText = `${adr.title} ${adr.context} ${adr.decision}`.toLowerCase();
    return searchText.includes(query.toLowerCase());
  }
}

# ADR Template Example
const adrTemplate = `# ADR-001: Use React for Frontend Development

## Status
Accepted

## Date
2024-09-25

## Deciders
- Tech Lead
- Frontend Team Lead
- Product Manager

## Consulted
- Backend Team
- DevOps Team
- UX Designer

## Informed
- All Development Team
- QA Team

## Context
We need to choose a frontend framework for our new web application. The application will be complex with many interactive components and real-time updates.

## Decision
We will use React as our frontend framework.

## Consequences
### Positive
- Large community and ecosystem
- Excellent developer tools
- Strong performance with virtual DOM
- Good TypeScript support
- Extensive third-party library support

### Negative
- Learning curve for new developers
- Bundle size can be large
- Frequent updates and breaking changes
- Requires additional state management solution

## Alternatives Considered
- Vue.js - Simpler learning curve but smaller ecosystem
- Angular - Enterprise-focused but complex
- Svelte - Modern but smaller community
- Vanilla JavaScript - No framework overhead but more development time`;

# ADR Management System
class ADRManagementSystem {
  constructor() {
    this.adr = new ArchitectureDecisionRecord();
    this.reviewers = new Map();
    this.approvalWorkflow = new ApprovalWorkflow();
  }
  
  submitADR(decision) {
    const adr = this.adr.createADR(decision);
    this.approvalWorkflow.startReview(adr);
    return adr;
  }
  
  reviewADR(adrId, reviewer, feedback) {
    const adr = this.adr.records.get(adrId);
    if (adr) {
      adr.reviews = adr.reviews || [];
      adr.reviews.push({
        reviewer: reviewer,
        feedback: feedback,
        date: new Date()
      });
    }
  }
  
  approveADR(adrId, approver) {
    this.adr.updateADRStatus(adrId, 'accepted');
    this.approvalWorkflow.completeReview(adrId, approver);
  }
  
  rejectADR(adrId, rejector, reason) {
    this.adr.updateADRStatus(adrId, 'rejected');
    this.approvalWorkflow.completeReview(adrId, rejector, reason);
  }
  
  generateReport() {
    const report = {
      total: this.adr.records.size,
      byStatus: this.getStatusCounts(),
      byCategory: this.getCategoryCounts(),
      recent: this.getRecentADRs(),
      pending: this.getPendingADRs()
    };
    
    return report;
  }
  
  getStatusCounts() {
    const counts = {};
    for (const [id, adr] of this.adr.records) {
      counts[adr.status] = (counts[adr.status] || 0) + 1;
    }
    return counts;
  }
  
  getCategoryCounts() {
    const counts = {};
    for (const [category, adrIds] of this.adr.categories) {
      counts[category] = adrIds.length;
    }
    return counts;
  }
  
  getRecentADRs() {
    const adrs = Array.from(this.adr.records.values());
    return adrs
      .sort((a, b) => new Date(b.date) - new Date(a.date))
      .slice(0, 5);
  }
  
  getPendingADRs() {
    const adrs = Array.from(this.adr.records.values());
    return adrs.filter(adr => adr.status === 'proposed');
  }
}