Prerequisites & Discovery Inputs
Have the following assets, repositories, and architectural context accessible before executing this evaluation:
- Access to platform codebase repositories
- Infrastructure design diagrams
- Overview of active API integrations
Problem Statement
Engineering teams struggle to evaluate system reliability objectively. Reviews are often treated as aesthetic styling debates rather than functional audits. This checklist establishes an actionable scorecard framework.
When to Use
Use this checklist during planning phases, prior to launching new products, or when assessing inherited legacy systems to identify structural risks before they impact users.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Codebase Analysis
- Review directory structures for clean boundaries.
- Identify duplication surfaces and tight component coupling.
- Check compliance with static analysis rules.
Step 2: Database Schema Health
- Validate primary and foreign key indexes.
- Audit table locks, write amplification metrics, and query speeds.
- Check normalization bounds and read/write splitting strategies.
Step 3: Infrastructure and DevOps
- Verify environment configurations are fully version-controlled.
- Check CI/CD testing pipelines and staging parity bounds.
- Validate SSL, CORS policies, and CDN caching layers.
Checklist Items
- Codebase conforms to standard framework directory layouts.
- No tight coupling exists between controller classes and data access queries.
- Slow query logs are configured and reviewed monthly.
- Database index coverage covers all high-traffic search fields.
- CI/CD pipeline blocks code coverage regressions automatically.
- API endpoints enforce rate-limiting rules at the edge server level.
Architectural Invariant · Production Hardening
Architecture specifications are only as sound as their verification in running production. In high-throughput systems, ensure every interface boundary maintains isolated timeout budgets, automated fallback circuits, and zero reliance on unmetered external dependencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Practical insights on architecture executionHow often should an architecture review be performed?
A comprehensive review is recommended annually or prior to major strategic product expansions to ensure scaling constraints are mitigated.
Who should participate in the review?
Lead developers, system architects, and technical directors who hold direct knowledge of the codebase and operational pipelines.