review-software-architecture

Map module dependencies and check that they flow inward toward domain models without circular references, then verify each module has a single focused responsibility. Tools like madge for JavaScript or pydeps for Python detect circular dependencies automatically.

Run npx madge --circular src/ for JavaScript or TypeScript projects to report circular import chains. For Python, grep cross-package imports and count their frequency to identify tightly coupled modules.

Architecture review evaluates system-level concerns like module boundaries, data flow, scalability, and resilience patterns, while code review examines line-by-line implementation quality in individual pull requests. This skill explicitly targets the system-level analysis.

Yes, it checks stateless compute, database coupling between services, fault isolation with circuit breakers and retries, and observability with trace IDs and health checks. These criteria indicate whether a system can scale horizontally or split into services.

The review requires the system codebase or architecture documentation such as diagrams, ADRs, and contracts, plus context about system purpose, scale, and constraints. Non-functional requirements, team composition, and known pain points are optional inputs.