name: architecture-paradigms description: | Interactive selector and implementation planner for architecture paradigms.

Triggers: architecture selection, pattern comparison, system design, ADR creation, architecture decision, paradigm evaluation, new system architecture, architecture planning, which architecture, compare architectures

Use when: selecting architecture patterns for new systems, comparing paradigm trade-offs, creating architecture decision records, evaluating architecture fit for team size and domain complexity, planning implementation roadmaps

DO NOT use when: implementing a specific known paradigm - use the specific architecture-paradigm-* skill (hexagonal, layered, microservices, etc.) instead. DO NOT use when: reviewing existing architecture - use architecture-review instead.

Use this skill BEFORE making architecture decisions. Check even if unsure about needs. version: 1.0.0 category: architecture-decision tags: [architecture, patterns, selection, implementation, adr] dependencies: [architecture-paradigm-functional-core, architecture-paradigm-hexagonal, architecture-paradigm-cqrs-es, architecture-paradigm-event-driven, architecture-paradigm-layered, architecture-paradigm-modular-monolith, architecture-paradigm-microkernel, architecture-paradigm-microservices, architecture-paradigm-service-based, architecture-paradigm-space-based, architecture-paradigm-pipeline, architecture-paradigm-serverless, architecture-paradigm-client-server] tools: [paradigm-selector, implementation-planner, compatibility-checker] usage_patterns:

• paradigm-selection
• architecture-review
• implementation-planning
• adr-creation complexity: intermediate estimated_tokens: 560

Architecture Paradigm Selector & Implementation Planner

Quick Start

For decisions: Jump to Common Scenarios (below) or use the selection matrix.

For planning: Complete the 3-step workflow to generate implementation roadmaps.

Common Scenarios

Enterprise Application with Multiple Teams

Primary: Microservices or Modular Monolith Secondary: Hexagonal for infrastructure independence

Complex Business Rules & Testing

Primary: Functional Core, Imperative Shell Secondary: Hexagonal for external integrations

Real-time/Event Processing

Primary: Event-Driven Architecture Secondary: CQRS + Event Sourcing for audit trails

Legacy System Modernization

Primary: Hexagonal (Ports & Adapters) Secondary: Modular Monolith as interim step

Cloud-Native/Bursty Workloads

Primary: Serverless Secondary: Microservices for sustained workloads

ETL/Data Processing Pipeline

Primary: Pipeline Architecture Secondary: Event-Driven for streaming

Required TodoWrite Items

1. paradigms:needs-defined
2. paradigms:paradigms-evaluated
3. paradigms:roadmap-created

3-Step Selection Workflow

Step 1: Define Your Needs (paradigms:needs-defined)

Primary Concerns (select all):

• Testability: Isolate business logic from infrastructure
• Team Autonomy: Independent deployment capabilities
• Infrastructure Flexibility: Swap databases/frameworks easily
• Real-time Scaling: Variable loads with event processing
• Simplicity: Maintainable without distributed complexity
• Legacy Integration: Work with existing systems

System Context:

• Team Size: < 5 | 5-15 | 15-50 | 50+
• Domain Complexity: Simple | Moderate | Complex | Highly Complex

Step 2: Evaluate Paradigms (paradigms:paradigms-evaluated)

Testability & Business Logic

• Primary: Functional Core, Imperative Shell - Isolates business logic from infrastructure
• Alternative: Hexagonal/Ports & Adapters - Clear domain/infrastructure boundaries

Team Autonomy

• Primary: Microservices - Independent deployment and scaling
• Alternative: Modular Monolith - Team autonomy without distributed complexity

Infrastructure Flexibility

• Primary: Hexagonal/Ports & Adapters - Swap infrastructure without domain changes

Simplicity & Maintainability

• Primary: Layered Architecture - Simple, well-understood separation

Real-time Event Processing

• Primary: Event-Driven Architecture - Scalable, decoupled processing

Step 3: Generate Implementation Roadmap (paradigms:roadmap-created)

Implementation Steps:

1. Load the specific paradigm skill for detailed guidance
2. Generate ADR template using the paradigm's templates
3. Create migration checklist for existing systems
4. Estimate effort and timeline based on team size and complexity
5. Identify risks and mitigations specific to your context

Load paradigm skills for implementation:

• architecture-paradigm-functional-core - Business logic isolation
• architecture-paradigm-hexagonal - Infrastructure independence
• architecture-paradigm-microservices - Independent services
• architecture-paradigm-event-driven - Event processing
• architecture-paradigm-layered - N-tier separation
• architecture-paradigm-cqrs-es - Command query separation with audit trails
• architecture-paradigm-modular-monolith - Single deployable with strong boundaries
• architecture-paradigm-service-based - Coarse-grained services with shared database
• architecture-paradigm-serverless - Stateless functions with minimal infrastructure
• architecture-paradigm-microkernel - Plugin architecture for extensible platforms
• architecture-paradigm-space-based - In-memory data grids for linear scalability
• architecture-paradigm-pipeline - Processing stages for ETL workflows
• architecture-paradigm-client-server - Traditional client-server architectures

Paradigm Comparison Matrix

Future Tooling

Paradigm Selector Tool

# Interactive paradigm selection
paradigm-selector --interactive --team-size 5-15 --complexity moderate

# Compare specific paradigms
paradigm-selector --compare functional-core hexagonal --context current-project

# Get recommendations based on concerns
paradigm-selector --concerns testability,team-autonomy --scale medium

Implementation Planner Tool

# Generate a detailed roadmap
implementation-planner --paradigm hexagonal --project-size large --team-count 3

# Estimate effort and timeline
implementation-planner --paradigm microservices --complexity high --effort-estimate

# Risk assessment
implementation-planner --paradigm event-driven --context financial --risk-analysis

Compatibility Checker Tool

# Check paradigm combinations
compatibility-checker --paradigms functional-core,hexagonal --validate

# Migration path analysis
compatibility-checker --from layered --to hexagonal --migration-path

# Team readiness assessment
compatibility-checker --paradigm microservices --team-profile current-team

Integration with Other Skills

During Architecture Review

• Load this skill first to select paradigms.
• Then load /architecture-review for evaluation.
• Use specific paradigm skills for implementation guidance.

During Implementation Planning

• Load this skill for paradigm selection and roadmap creation.
• Load /writing-plans for detailed task breakdown.
• Use paradigm-specific skills for implementation checklists.

During Refactoring

• Load this skill to identify target paradigms.
• Load systematic-debugging for a refactoring approach.
• Use paradigm-specific skills for migration strategies.

Exit Criteria

• TodoWrite items are completed.
• At least one paradigm is selected with a clear rationale.
• An implementation roadmap has been generated.
• The specific paradigm skill has been loaded for detailed guidance.
• Follow-up ADR and documentation tasks have been identified.

Next Steps

1. Load the specific paradigm skill for implementation guidance.
2. Generate an ADR using the paradigm templates.
3. Create an implementation plan with detailed tasks and timelines.
4. Set up monitoring for the success metrics of the paradigm adoption.