In software development, understanding how a system works is one of the biggest time costs. As systems become more complex, our ability to understand them doesnt seem to be growing at the same rate. Self-documenting architecture could dramatically reduce this cost. A codebase is more than text files; its a database of domain, business, and architectural information. By visualizing the domain model, business processes, and architecture, we can reduce the learning curve, accentuate poor design choices, and see the complexity we are adding to the big picture. With a self-documenting architecture, everyone making changes to the system can easily zoom out to the bigger picture and consider the wider implications of their changes, and it may even enable greater organizational fluidity. This is why self-documenting architecture is essential in improving system design and minimizing unnecessary complexity.
