Architect Solution Validation Checklist

This checklist serves as a comprehensive framework for the Architect to validate the technical design and architecture before development execution. The Architect should systematically work through each item, ensuring the architecture is robust, scalable, secure, and aligned with the product requirements.

[[LLM: INITIALIZATION INSTRUCTIONS - REQUIRED ARTIFACTS

Before proceeding with this checklist, ensure you have access to:

architecture.md - The primary architecture document (check docs/architecture.md)
prd.md - Product Requirements Document for requirements alignment (check docs/prd.md)
frontend-architecture.md or fe-architecture.md - If this is a UI project (check docs/frontend-architecture.md)
Any system diagrams referenced in the architecture
API documentation if available
Technology stack details and version specifications

IMPORTANT: If any required documents are missing or inaccessible, immediately ask the user for their location or content before proceeding.

PROJECT TYPE DETECTION: First, determine the project type by checking:

Does the architecture include a frontend/UI component?
Is there a frontend-architecture.md document?
Does the PRD mention user interfaces or frontend requirements?

If this is a backend-only or service-only project:

Skip sections marked with [[FRONTEND ONLY]]
Focus extra attention on API design, service architecture, and integration patterns
Note in your final report that frontend sections were skipped due to project type

VALIDATION APPROACH: For each section, you must:

Deep Analysis - Don't just check boxes, thoroughly analyze each item against the provided documentation
Evidence-Based - Cite specific sections or quotes from the documents when validating
Critical Thinking - Question assumptions and identify gaps, not just confirm what's present
Risk Assessment - Consider what could go wrong with each architectural decision

EXECUTION MODE: Ask the user if they want to work through the checklist:

Section by section (interactive mode) - Review each section, present findings, get confirmation before proceeding
All at once (comprehensive mode) - Complete full analysis and present comprehensive report at end]]

1. REQUIREMENTS ALIGNMENT

[[LLM: Before evaluating this section, take a moment to fully understand the product's purpose and goals from the PRD. What is the core problem being solved? Who are the users? What are the critical success factors? Keep these in mind as you validate alignment. For each item, don't just check if it's mentioned - verify that the architecture provides a concrete technical solution.]]

1.1 Functional Requirements Coverage

Architecture supports all functional requirements in the PRD
Technical approaches for all epics and stories are addressed
Edge cases and performance scenarios are considered
All required integrations are accounted for
User journeys are supported by the technical architecture

1.2 Non-Functional Requirements Alignment

Performance requirements are addressed with specific solutions
Scalability considerations are documented with approach
Security requirements have corresponding technical controls
Reliability and resilience approaches are defined
Compliance requirements have technical implementations

1.3 Technical Constraints Adherence

All technical constraints from PRD are satisfied
Platform/language requirements are followed
Infrastructure constraints are accommodated
Third-party service constraints are addressed
Organizational technical standards are followed

2. ARCHITECTURE FUNDAMENTALS

[[LLM: Architecture clarity is crucial for successful implementation. As you review this section, visualize the system as if you were explaining it to a new developer. Are there any ambiguities that could lead to misinterpretation? Would an AI agent be able to implement this architecture without confusion? Look for specific diagrams, component definitions, and clear interaction patterns.]]

2.1 Architecture Clarity

Architecture is documented with clear diagrams
Major components and their responsibilities are defined
Component interactions and dependencies are mapped
Data flows are clearly illustrated
Technology choices for each component are specified

2.2 Separation of Concerns

Clear boundaries between UI, business logic, and data layers
Responsibilities are cleanly divided between components
Interfaces between components are well-defined
Components adhere to single responsibility principle
Cross-cutting concerns (logging, auth, etc.) are properly addressed

2.3 Design Patterns & Best Practices

Appropriate design patterns are employed
Industry best practices are followed
Anti-patterns are avoided
Consistent architectural style throughout
Pattern usage is documented and explained

2.4 Modularity & Maintainability

System is divided into cohesive, loosely-coupled modules
Components can be developed and tested independently
Changes can be localized to specific components
Code organization promotes discoverability
Architecture specifically designed for AI agent implementation

3. TECHNICAL STACK & DECISIONS

[[LLM: Technology choices have long-term implications. For each technology decision, consider: Is this the simplest solution that could work? Are we over-engineering? Will this scale? What are the maintenance implications? Are there security vulnerabilities in the chosen versions? Verify that specific versions are defined, not ranges.]]

3.1 Technology Selection

Selected technologies meet all requirements
Technology versions are specifically defined (not ranges)
Technology choices are justified with clear rationale
Alternatives considered are documented with pros/cons
Selected stack components work well together

3.2 Frontend Architecture [[FRONTEND ONLY]]

[[LLM: Skip this entire section if this is a backend-only or service-only project. Only evaluate if the project includes a user interface.]]

UI framework and libraries are specifically selected
State management approach is defined
Component structure and organization is specified
Responsive/adaptive design approach is outlined
Build and bundling strategy is determined

3.3 Backend Architecture

API design and standards are defined
Service organization and boundaries are clear
Authentication and authorization approach is specified
Error handling strategy is outlined
Backend scaling approach is defined

3.4 Data Architecture

Data models are fully defined
Database technologies are selected with justification
Data access patterns are documented
Data migration/seeding approach is specified
Data backup and recovery strategies are outlined

4. FRONTEND DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION [[FRONTEND ONLY]]

[[LLM: This entire section should be skipped for backend-only projects. Only evaluate if the project includes a user interface. When evaluating, ensure alignment between the main architecture document and the frontend-specific architecture document.]]

4.1 Frontend Philosophy & Patterns

Framework & Core Libraries align with main architecture document
Component Architecture (e.g., Atomic Design) is clearly described
State Management Strategy is appropriate for application complexity
Data Flow patterns are consistent and clear
Styling Approach is defined and tooling specified

4.2 Frontend Structure & Organization

Directory structure is clearly documented with ASCII diagram
Component organization follows stated patterns
File naming conventions are explicit
Structure supports chosen framework's best practices
Clear guidance on where new components should be placed

4.3 Component Design

Component template/specification format is defined
Component props, state, and events are well-documented
Shared/foundational components are identified
Component reusability patterns are established
Accessibility requirements are built into component design

4.4 Frontend-Backend Integration

API interaction layer is clearly defined
HTTP client setup and configuration documented
Error handling for API calls is comprehensive
Service definitions follow consistent patterns
Authentication integration with backend is clear

4.5 Routing & Navigation

Routing strategy and library are specified
Route definitions table is comprehensive
Route protection mechanisms are defined
Deep linking considerations addressed
Navigation patterns are consistent

4.6 Frontend Performance

Image optimization strategies defined
Code splitting approach documented
Lazy loading patterns established
Re-render optimization techniques specified
Performance monitoring approach defined

5. RESILIENCE & OPERATIONAL READINESS

[[LLM: Production systems fail in unexpected ways. As you review this section, think about Murphy's Law - what could go wrong? Consider real-world scenarios: What happens during peak load? How does the system behave when a critical service is down? Can the operations team diagnose issues at 3 AM? Look for specific resilience patterns, not just mentions of "error handling".]]

5.1 Error Handling & Resilience

Error handling strategy is comprehensive
Retry policies are defined where appropriate
Circuit breakers or fallbacks are specified for critical services
Graceful degradation approaches are defined
System can recover from partial failures

5.2 Monitoring & Observability

Logging strategy is defined
Monitoring approach is specified
Key metrics for system health are identified
Alerting thresholds and strategies are outlined
Debugging and troubleshooting capabilities are built in

5.3 Performance & Scaling

Performance bottlenecks are identified and addressed
Caching strategy is defined where appropriate
Load balancing approach is specified
Horizontal and vertical scaling strategies are outlined
Resource sizing recommendations are provided

5.4 Deployment & DevOps

Deployment strategy is defined
CI/CD pipeline approach is outlined
Environment strategy (dev, staging, prod) is specified
Infrastructure as Code approach is defined
Rollback and recovery procedures are outlined

6. SECURITY & COMPLIANCE

[[LLM: Security is not optional. Review this section with a hacker's mindset - how could someone exploit this system? Also consider compliance: Are there industry-specific regulations that apply? GDPR? HIPAA? PCI? Ensure the architecture addresses these proactively. Look for specific security controls, not just general statements.]]

6.1 Authentication & Authorization

Authentication mechanism is clearly defined
Authorization model is specified
Role-based access control is outlined if required
Session management approach is defined
Credential management is addressed

6.2 Data Security

Data encryption approach (at rest and in transit) is specified
Sensitive data handling procedures are defined
Data retention and purging policies are outlined
Backup encryption is addressed if required
Data access audit trails are specified if required

6.3 API & Service Security

API security controls are defined
Rate limiting and throttling approaches are specified
Input validation strategy is outlined
CSRF/XSS prevention measures are addressed
Secure communication protocols are specified

6.4 Infrastructure Security

Network security design is outlined
Firewall and security group configurations are specified
Service isolation approach is defined
Least privilege principle is applied
Security monitoring strategy is outlined

7. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE

[[LLM: Clear implementation guidance prevents costly mistakes. As you review this section, imagine you're a developer starting on day one. Do they have everything they need to be productive? Are coding standards clear enough to maintain consistency across the team? Look for specific examples and patterns.]]

7.1 Coding Standards & Practices

Coding standards are defined
Documentation requirements are specified
Testing expectations are outlined
Code organization principles are defined
Naming conventions are specified

7.2 Testing Strategy

Unit testing approach is defined
Integration testing strategy is outlined
E2E testing approach is specified
Performance testing requirements are outlined
Security testing approach is defined

7.3 Frontend Testing [[FRONTEND ONLY]]

[[LLM: Skip this subsection for backend-only projects.]]

Component testing scope and tools defined
UI integration testing approach specified
Visual regression testing considered
Accessibility testing tools identified
Frontend-specific test data management addressed

7.4 Development Environment

Local development environment setup is documented
Required tools and configurations are specified
Development workflows are outlined
Source control practices are defined
Dependency management approach is specified

7.5 Technical Documentation

API documentation standards are defined
Architecture documentation requirements are specified
Code documentation expectations are outlined
System diagrams and visualizations are included
Decision records for key choices are included

8. DEPENDENCY & INTEGRATION MANAGEMENT

[[LLM: Dependencies are often the source of production issues. For each dependency, consider: What happens if it's unavailable? Is there a newer version with security patches? Are we locked into a vendor? What's our contingency plan? Verify specific versions and fallback strategies.]]

8.1 External Dependencies

All external dependencies are identified
Versioning strategy for dependencies is defined
Fallback approaches for critical dependencies are specified
Licensing implications are addressed
Update and patching strategy is outlined

8.2 Internal Dependencies

Component dependencies are clearly mapped
Build order dependencies are addressed
Shared services and utilities are identified
Circular dependencies are eliminated
Versioning strategy for internal components is defined

8.3 Third-Party Integrations

All third-party integrations are identified
Integration approaches are defined
Authentication with third parties is addressed
Error handling for integration failures is specified
Rate limits and quotas are considered

9. AI AGENT IMPLEMENTATION SUITABILITY

[[LLM: This architecture may be implemented by AI agents. Review with extreme clarity in mind. Are patterns consistent? Is complexity minimized? Would an AI agent make incorrect assumptions? Remember: explicit is better than implicit. Look for clear file structures, naming conventions, and implementation patterns.]]

9.1 Modularity for AI Agents

Components are sized appropriately for AI agent implementation
Dependencies between components are minimized
Clear interfaces between components are defined
Components have singular, well-defined responsibilities
File and code organization optimized for AI agent understanding

9.2 Clarity & Predictability

Patterns are consistent and predictable
Complex logic is broken down into simpler steps
Architecture avoids overly clever or obscure approaches
Examples are provided for unfamiliar patterns
Component responsibilities are explicit and clear

9.3 Implementation Guidance

Detailed implementation guidance is provided
Code structure templates are defined
Specific implementation patterns are documented
Common pitfalls are identified with solutions
References to similar implementations are provided when helpful

9.4 Error Prevention & Handling

Design reduces opportunities for implementation errors
Validation and error checking approaches are defined
Self-healing mechanisms are incorporated where possible
Testing patterns are clearly defined
Debugging guidance is provided

10. ACCESSIBILITY IMPLEMENTATION [[FRONTEND ONLY]]

[[LLM: Skip this section for backend-only projects. Accessibility is a core requirement for any user interface.]]

10.1 Accessibility Standards

Semantic HTML usage is emphasized
ARIA implementation guidelines provided
Keyboard navigation requirements defined
Focus management approach specified
Screen reader compatibility addressed

10.2 Accessibility Testing

Accessibility testing tools identified
Testing process integrated into workflow
Compliance targets (WCAG level) specified
Manual testing procedures defined
Automated testing approach outlined

[[LLM: FINAL VALIDATION REPORT GENERATION

Now that you've completed the checklist, generate a comprehensive validation report that includes:

Executive Summary
- Overall architecture readiness (High/Medium/Low)
- Critical risks identified
- Key strengths of the architecture
- Project type (Full-stack/Frontend/Backend) and sections evaluated
Section Analysis
- Pass rate for each major section (percentage of items passed)
- Most concerning failures or gaps
- Sections requiring immediate attention
- Note any sections skipped due to project type
Risk Assessment
- Top 5 risks by severity
- Mitigation recommendations for each
- Timeline impact of addressing issues
Recommendations
- Must-fix items before development
- Should-fix items for better quality
- Nice-to-have improvements
AI Implementation Readiness
- Specific concerns for AI agent implementation
- Areas needing additional clarification
- Complexity hotspots to address
Frontend-Specific Assessment (if applicable)
- Frontend architecture completeness
- Alignment between main and frontend architecture docs
- UI/UX specification coverage
- Component design clarity

After presenting the report, ask the user if they would like detailed analysis of any specific section, especially those with warnings or failures.]]

architect-checklist.md 18 KB Istoric Crud