What is the difference between architecture review and code review?

An architecture review examines the overall system design, structure, and high-level decisions before or during development. A code review looks at specific code changes, often at the pull request level. Architecture reviews happen earlier and at a higher level; code reviews are more detailed and focused on implementation.

Who participates in an architecture review?

Typically, the team proposing the design presents it, and reviewers include architects, senior engineers, and sometimes specialists from infrastructure, security, or other relevant teams. The exact participants depend on the company and the scope of the project.

When should you schedule an architecture review?

Architecture reviews should happen early in the design phase, before significant development begins. However, they can also occur at major milestones or when planning large changes to existing systems.

What happens if an architecture review fails?

If a design does not pass architecture review, the team receives feedback on what needs to change. They then revise the design and may need to go through another review. This process ensures system quality and reduces future problems.

Is architecture review only for big projects?

While architecture reviews are more common for large or complex projects, some companies require them for any significant system change. Smaller projects may have lighter versions of the review process.

architecture review meaning in tech

Commonness	4/5
Versatility	4/5
Formality	CasualFormalFormal
Spoken ↔ Written	SpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ Diplomatic	DirectDiplomaticNeutral
Region	US and UK

Say it like this

✓We have an architecture review scheduled for next Tuesday.

✓This design needs to pass architecture review before we can begin.

✓The architecture review team raised concerns about scalability.

Real examples

in a planning meeting

"Before we allocate resources, this proposal needs to go through architecture review."

in an email

"Could you schedule an architecture review for the new microservices design?"

in a standup

"We are waiting for architecture review feedback before proceeding with the database migration."

Don't say this

Handle with care. Do not confuse with code review. An architecture review examines system design and high-level structure, not individual code changes.

✕I need architecture review for this bug fix.

✓I need a code review for this bug fix.— Architecture reviews are for system design, not individual code changes. Use code review for that.

✕We architecture review the new feature yesterday.

✓We conducted an architecture review of the new feature yesterday.— The correct verb form is 'conduct an architecture review', not use architecture review as a verb.

✕This is just a small architecture review.

✓This design change might need an architecture review.— Architecture reviews are formal processes, not sized as small or large. Decisions about whether something needs review are made differently.

Other forms

noun

architecture review

"The architecture review revealed several design flaws."

noun phrase

conduct an architecture review

"We need to conduct an architecture review before launching."

noun phrase

pass architecture review

"The proposal passed architecture review without major changes."

Often used with

conduct/perform/hold an architecture reviewThese verbs are used when scheduling or running the review

pass/fail architecture reviewDescribes the outcome of whether a design is approved

architecture review boardThe group of people who evaluate designs

architecture review feedbackComments and suggestions from reviewers

schedule/book an architecture reviewActions taken to arrange the meeting

Similar words

design reviewSlightly broader; can refer to reviewing any design, not just system architecture

technical architecture reviewMore explicit version emphasizing the technical aspect

system design reviewSimilar scope but emphasizes the system as a whole

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Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Pick the most natural phrasing

1. Your manager asks about the new payment system design. What is the most natural way to respond?

We scheduled an architecture review for next week.We will architecture review it next week.It needs architecture review application.We architecture review next week.

Complete the sentence

2. Before we start development, this design must _______ the _______ _______ process.

Spot the mistake

3. Which sentence uses architecture review incorrectly?

The architecture review board approved the microservices proposal.We need to architecture review this pull request before merging.Architecture review feedback suggests using a different database.Please schedule an architecture review for the new API design.

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite this using architecture review: 'We need important people to look at our system design and decide if it is good before we start building it.'

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "architecture review" in a standup this week?

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