Specification: Agentic Docs-as-Code Architecture Pipeline

A specification describes an agent-driven documentation pipeline that treats architecture docs as a compiled artifact maintained by AI coding agents. The framework combines the arc42 template and C4 model diagrams with ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English, and uses a root-level AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md file as a rulebook that dictates formatting, terminology and structure to any interacting agent. Agents read repository guardrails, update affected multi-file documentation blocks, log Architecture Decision Records and refresh C4 diagrams in a single pass, with CI/CD compiling the sources into a static architecture portal on every commit.

Overview This specification establishes an automated, agent-driven software architecture documentation ecosystem. The framework integrates strict structural standards, controlled natural language rules, and autonomous AI maintenance patterns into a unified, version-controlled pipeline. Core Pillars 1. Structural Standard arc42 & C4 Model - System Decomposition: All documentation follows the hierarchical arc42 architecture template, ensuring complete coverage from business goals down to deployment views and quality requirements. - Visualizations: The C4 model Context, Containers, Component, Code is embedded directly into source files using Mermaid.js or Structurizr DSL to maintain living visual artifacts alongside text. 2. Linguistic Standard ASD-STE100 - Controlled Vocabulary: All documentation must adhere to ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English principles. - Clarity Constraints: Sentences remain concise, active voice is strictly enforced, and synonyms are eliminated to ensure absolute zero ambiguity for both human readers and machine interpreters. 3. Agentic Maintenance Pattern Karpathy-Style Workflow - Living Codebase Model: Documentation is treated as a compiled artifact maintained primarily by AI coding agents rather than manual wiki updates. - Repository Governance: A root-level configuration file AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md acts as the compiler rulebook, dictating formatting, terminology, and structural constraints to any interacting AI agent. Operational Workflow - Storage: Plain-text documentation sources AsciiDoc or Markdown reside in a version-controlled repository structured according to arc42 layouts. - Execution: Architectural changes trigger targeted agentic instructions. Agents read repository guardrails, update affected multi-file documentation blocks, log corresponding Architecture Decision Records ADRs , and refresh C4 diagrams in a single pass. - Publishing: CI/CD automation compiles the source files into a static architecture portal on every commit.