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| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  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. | 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. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | 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 | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 1-3 Tage | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 1-4 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 1-5 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tags1 shared | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |