Prompt library
Write an architecture decision record
ADRs exist for the future engineer asking why; writing rejected options at full advocacy strength is what makes the record credible to them. The reopen trigger converts the decision from dogma into a falsifiable bet, which is how good teams treat architecture.
Last reviewed July 17, 2026
The prompt
Write an ADR for this decision.
Decision and context notes: {{decision}}
Format:
1. Title: ADR-N: the decision as a verb phrase.
2. Status and date.
3. Context: the forces that make this a real decision (constraints, scale numbers, team realities, deadlines). Only facts; no advocacy yet.
4. Options considered: 2-4, each with its real advantages written as strongly as its advocate would, then its costs. If my notes contain only one option, generate the strongest alternatives and say you did.
5. Decision: what we chose and the decisive factor, in 3 sentences maximum.
6. Consequences: what gets easier, what gets harder, what we are now committed to, and the trigger that would reopen this decision.
Write the losing options fairly; a future reader must believe we understood what we rejected.Run in idaptOpens a new chat with the prompt prefilled. Nothing sends until you press send.
Fill in the variables
| Variable | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| {{decision}} | The decision and everything relevant you know | moving background jobs from cron scripts to a queue; 3 engineers, spiky load, ops-averse team |