View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture Quality Attribute Workshop |  Architecture Request for Comments |  Architecture C4 Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. | A Quality Attribute Workshop translates quality requirements into concrete scenarios and architecture impulses. The method brings product, engineering, and operations to the same view of desired properties. | An RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale. | 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 | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 2-4 h | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 5-15 | 3-20 Reviewer | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Quality Scenarios, Priority List, Architecture Concerns | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tags1 shared | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | RequirementsArchitectureWorkshop | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |