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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture C4 Model |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question. | The C4 Model makes a system legible across several resolution levels, from context down to code. It suits situations where different audiences need to understand the same architecture from different altitudes. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 1-3 Tage | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 1-4 | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tags1 shared | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |
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