🛡️ Architecture Guard

Continuous architecture governance for AI-assisted development.

Architecture Guard is a repository-native governance layer for Spec Kit that helps AI agents follow the architecture rules you already defined. It keeps architecture review visible during delivery instead of waiting until code review.

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Core Value: Architecture Guidance Without Hidden Drift

Architecture Guard uses a layered, reviewable workflow to keep architecture decisions explicit:

Layer	Focus	What It Prevents
Governance	High-level engineering rules	Loose, inconsistent project standards
Architecture	Boundaries, ownership, and contracts	Drift between modules and layers
Workflow	Reviews and refactor generation	Hidden architecture debt

Why Developers and Teams Use It:

• architecture decisions stop living only in people’s heads
• drift becomes visible as refactor work instead of silent debt
• smaller models get clearer rules to follow
• architecture checks happen during delivery, not only at review time
• the same ideas work across Laravel, NestJS, Next.js, Django, and more

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Quick Start in 3 Steps

1. Install the Extension

From the Registry (Recommended):

specify extension add architecture-guard

From a Release Artifact (ZIP):

specify extension add architecture-guard --from https://github.com/DyanGalih/spec-kit-architecture-guard/archive/refs/tags/v1.8.15.zip

From a Local Developer Artifact:

specify extension add architecture-guard --dev /path/to/spec-kit-architecture-guard

2. Initialize Your Constitutions

/speckit.architecture-guard.init

3. Run an Architecture Review

/speckit.architecture-guard.architecture-workflow

If violations appear, apply approved refactors:

/speckit.architecture-guard.architecture-apply

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Command Directory

Command	When To Use	What It Does
/speckit.architecture-guard.init	At project setup or when standards change	Creates or refines governance and architecture constitutions.
/speckit.architecture-guard.architecture-workflow	For an end-to-end review	Reviews specs, plans, tasks, and implementations for drift and refactors.
/speckit.architecture-guard.architecture-review	After /specify, /plan, or /implement	Checks a spec, plan, or implementation against architecture rules.
/speckit.architecture-guard.refactor-generator	After violations are found	Converts violations into structured refactor tasks.
/speckit.architecture-guard.architecture-apply	When refactors are approved	Injects approved architecture work into plans and tasks.
/speckit.architecture-guard.architecture-verify	Final validation step	Checks whether the final work matches the approved tasks.

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Technical Documentation Map

We split the Architecture Guard manual into focused technical resources:

spec-kit-architecture-guard/
├── README.md                  ← Readable, high-level project summary
└── docs/
    ├── beginner-guide.md       ← Plain-language explanation and first workflow
    ├── architecture-overview.md ← Problem statement, value, and behavior
    ├── governance-model.md      ← Constitution layers and delegation model
    ├── workflows.md             ← Governed planning, task, and implementation flows
    ├── reference-manual.md      ← Setup, commands, install, and validation details
    └── release-notes.md         ← Change history and workflow updates

Direct Links

• Beginner Guide - Plain-language overview for new users
• Architecture Overview - Problem statement, value, and how the tool behaves
• Governance Model - Layered constitutions and delegation behavior
• Workflows - Governed planning, tasks, implementation, and companion extension flows
• Reference Manual - Install, configure, validate, and command details
• Release Notes - Recent workflow and README updates

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Design Philosophy

• Non-blocking by default: violations become refactor tasks unless a rule is explicitly marked blocking
• Reviewable in Git: the rules live in markdown files, not hidden state
• Architecture first: the extension focuses on boundaries, ownership, and drift
• Companion-aware: it can orchestrate other Spec Kit tools without depending on them