https://www.archyl.com/glossary Curated definitions of C4 model, DORA metrics, ADR, architecture drift, and other software architecture terms. en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/og-image.png https://www.archyl.com/glossary https://www.archyl.com/glossary/c4-model A lightweight architecture visualization approach that describes software systems across four levels: System Context, Container, Component, and Code. c4-model Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/c4-model https://www.archyl.com/glossary/system-context-diagram C4 level 1 diagram showing a software system and its interactions with users and other external systems. c4-model Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/system-context-diagram https://www.archyl.com/glossary/container-diagram C4 level 2 diagram showing the deployable/executable units (applications, services, databases) that make up a software system. c4-model Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/container-diagram https://www.archyl.com/glossary/component-diagram C4 level 3 diagram decomposing a container into groups of related functionality (components) and their collaborations. c4-model Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/component-diagram https://www.archyl.com/glossary/code-diagram C4 level 4 diagram showing the implementation-level details (classes, interfaces, functions) of a component. c4-model Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/code-diagram https://www.archyl.com/glossary/architecture-decision-record A short document capturing a single architecturally significant decision, its context, and its consequences. documentation Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/architecture-decision-record https://www.archyl.com/glossary/architecture-drift The widening gap between documented architecture and the system that actually runs in production. practices Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/architecture-drift https://www.archyl.com/glossary/conformance-rule A machine-checkable constraint that validates the codebase against architectural intent. practices Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/conformance-rule https://www.archyl.com/glossary/architecture-as-code Describing system architecture in a versioned, text-based format so it can be reviewed, diffed, and validated like source code. practices Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/architecture-as-code https://www.archyl.com/glossary/technology-radar A curated catalog of technologies grouped into rings (adopt / trial / assess / hold) that guides engineering choices. practices Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/technology-radar https://www.archyl.com/glossary/dora-metrics Four widely used engineering performance metrics: Deployment Frequency, Lead Time for Changes, Change Failure Rate, and Mean Time to Recovery. dora Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/dora-metrics https://www.archyl.com/glossary/deployment-frequency How often a team successfully ships code to production. One of the four DORA metrics. dora Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/deployment-frequency https://www.archyl.com/glossary/lead-time-for-changes The time between a code change being committed and that change running in production. dora Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/lead-time-for-changes https://www.archyl.com/glossary/change-failure-rate The percentage of deployments that cause a degradation in production and require remediation. dora Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/change-failure-rate https://www.archyl.com/glossary/mean-time-to-recovery The average time it takes to restore service after a production incident. dora Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/mean-time-to-recovery https://www.archyl.com/glossary/domain-driven-design An approach to software design that centers the model and language of the business domain. architecture Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/domain-driven-design https://www.archyl.com/glossary/hexagonal-architecture A layered architecture style that isolates domain logic from infrastructure via ports and adapters. architecture Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/hexagonal-architecture https://www.archyl.com/glossary/clean-architecture A layered architecture where dependencies point inward toward the domain, popularized by Robert C. Martin. architecture Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/clean-architecture https://www.archyl.com/glossary/event-storming A collaborative modeling workshop that uses sticky notes representing domain events to map a business process. practices Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/event-storming https://www.archyl.com/glossary/microservices An architectural style that structures an application as a collection of small, independently deployable services organized around business capabilities. architecture Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/microservices https://www.archyl.com/glossary/service-mesh A dedicated infrastructure layer for handling service-to-service communication, typically via sidecar proxies. architecture Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/service-mesh https://www.archyl.com/glossary/api-contract A formal specification of an API (OpenAPI, gRPC proto, GraphQL schema) that producers and consumers agree to uphold. practices Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/api-contract https://www.archyl.com/glossary/event-channel A named, typed stream of events (often Kafka topic or equivalent) through which services publish and subscribe asynchronously. practices Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/event-channel https://www.archyl.com/glossary/ownership-map A mapping from system elements (services, modules, pipelines) to the team or person accountable for them. documentation Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/ownership-map https://www.archyl.com/glossary/living-documentation Documentation that is generated or validated from the running system, so it stays accurate as the system evolves. documentation Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/living-documentation https://www.archyl.com/glossary/mcp-server A server implementing the Model Context Protocol so AI coding assistants can query project context through a standardized tool interface. practices Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:58 GMT https://www.archyl.com/glossary/mcp-server