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 Architecture Inception Canvas |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |  Architecture C4 Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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. | ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification. | 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 | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 1-2 Tage | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 1-4 | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tags1 shared | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |