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 Software Architecture Canvas |  Decision Making Argument Mapping |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | The Software Architecture Canvas reduces a system to the most important architecture decisions, constraints, and interfaces. It is useful when teams need a resilient overall picture quickly. | When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on. | The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 1-2 h | 1-3 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 3-10 | 1-8 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | SensemakingDecisionRationale | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas |