ArcKit - Enterprise Architecture Governance Toolkit

Overview

ArcKit - Enterprise Architecture Governance Toolkit is a comprehensive framework designed to build better enterprise architecture through structured governance, vendor procurement, and design review workflows.
Visual identity: ArcKit is presented with a banner that communicates its brand as an AI-assisted governance toolkit. The banner reinforces its mission to turn scattered governance artifacts into a systematic, auditable workflow.
Core purpose: ArcKit transforms architecture governance from documents scattered across tools into an end‑to‑end, template-driven, traceable, and AI-assisted workflow that guides enterprise architects from principles and stakeholder alignment to procurement, design reviews, and governance reporting.
Scope of capabilities:
Establishing and enforcing architecture principles
Analyzing stakeholder drivers, goals, and outcomes
Risk management aligned with HM Treasury Orange Book
Business case justification aligned with HM Treasury Green Book SOBC
Comprehensive requirements documentation
Data modeling with ERD, GDPR compliance, and data governance
Technology research including build-vs-buy analysis powered by AI-enabled web search
Azure-specific research using Microsoft Learn MCP for authoritative documentation
Wardley Mapping for strategic planning
Generating visual architecture diagrams with Mermaid
Managing vendor RFP and selection processes
Conducting formal design reviews (HLD/DLD)
ServiceNow service management design
Maintaining requirements traceability and inline citation traceability (DOC-CN markers)
Platform-agnostic architecture: ArcKit supports multiple AI assistants and tooling ecosystems, with Claude Code as premier, and additional integrations to Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot, Codex/ OpenCode CLI, and OpenAI Codex CLI.

Quick Start

Visual cue: ArcKit presents an accessible, quick-start pathway designed to reduce time-to-value for enterprise governance work.
Image reference: ArcKit’s branding and logo appear prominently to orient new users to the toolkit’s ecosystem.

2.1 Installation

Claude Code (premier experience)
Install the ArcKit plugin (requires v2.1.97+): /plugin marketplace add tractorjuice/arc-kit
After installation, proceed from the Discover tab to begin using ArcKit
Claude Code provides the most complete experience: all 68 commands, 10 autonomous research agents, 5 automation hooks, bundled MCP servers, and automatic updates
Gemini CLI extension
Install via: gemini extensions install https://github.com/tractorjuice/arckit-gemini
Zero-config: 68 commands, templates, scripts, and bundled MCP servers
Updates through: gemini extensions update arckit
GitHub Copilot (VS Code)
Install ArcKit CLI and scaffold prompt files
Commands scaffolded as arckit prompts: 68 prompt files, 10 custom agents, and repository-wide Copilot instructions
Use within Copilot Chat with invocations like /arckit-requirements, /arckit-stakeholders, etc.
Codex CLI (OpenAI Codex)
Install and use the ArcKit CLI: pip install git+https://github.com/tractorjuice/arc-kit.git
Alternatively, install via uv tooling and run arckit init my-project
Latest Release reference
The current release is v4.6.6, available on GitHub
Platform support snapshot
Claude Code Plugin: Full on macOS, Linux, Windows (WSL2); native Windows support for some plugins
Gemini CLI Extension: Full on macOS and Linux; Windows support varies
GitHub Copilot: Full on supported IDEs; Windows experience aligns with VS Code
Codex/OpenCode: Broad but may require environment accommodations on Windows
Initialization and starting a project
No initialization necessary for Claude Code; the plugin provides everything
Copilot/OpenCode workflows guide you to create new projects and scaffold prompts or templates
Codex CLI workflows enable quick bootstrap with a minimal or full setup
Upgrading
Claude Code plugin: Updates are automatic via the marketplace
Gemini CLI extension: Update via gemini extensions update arckit
GitHub Copilot: Re-run arckit init --here --ai copilot to refresh prompts, agents, and instructions
Codex CLI: Upgrade the CLI tool and re-initialize in place to adopt new commands/templates
Example projects and outputs
ArcKit demonstrates a broad catalog of public example outputs and test repositories for reference and learning

2.2 Why Claude Code?

Claude Code is the premier ArcKit development platform offering capabilities not present in other formats:
68 slash commands plus 10 autonomous research agents
Bundled MCP servers (AWS Knowledge, Microsoft Learn, and more)
Hooks such as SessionStart, UserPromptSubmit, PreToolUse, and per-command Stop hooks
Wardley Mapping with math-validated outputs
Mermaid diagram capabilities built-in for immediate visualization
Automatic marketplace updates and zero-config installation
The architecture makes ArcKit tasks explicit and auditable, with built-in governance checks and validation to ensure outputs meet compliance, traceability, and governance standards.

2.3 Platform Support Summary

macOS, Linux, and Windows (with WSL2 recommended for best experience)
Native Windows support is strongest for Claude Code; other tools may require Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) or Git Bash for full parity

2.4 Initialize a Project

Claude Code: No initialization is required; the plugin supplies the project scaffolding
GitHub Copilot: Create a new project with arckit init payment-modernization --ai copilot or in the current directory arckit init . --ai copilot
OpenCode CLI: arckit init payment-modernization --ai opencode or arckit init . --ai opencode
Codex CLI: arckit init payment-modernization --ai codex or arckit init . --ai codex
The outputs create a structured repository layout with artifacts such as ARC-001-REQ-v1.0.md, ARC-001-DATA-v1.0.md, and several Wardley map files
After initialization, you can start leveraging the ArcKit workflow via appropriate commands

2.5 Start Using ArcKit

Copilot (VS Code): Navigate into the project, run code, and use a sequence of prompts to build the governance artifacts
Codex CLI: Use natural-language prompts with the ArcKit prompts and commands in the prompt-enabled environment
OpenCode CLI: Use the arckit commands in an OpenCode-based session to drive outputs
The workflow emphasizes using commands in a deliberate order (principles → stakeholders → requirements → data-model, etc.)

2.6 Upgrading and Maintenance

Regular plugin extensions and CLI tools update workflows preserve project data and templates
Upgrading from older versions may require migrations of legacy filenames; consult upgrading guides for full details

2.7 Example Outputs and Demonstrations

ArcKit maintains public demonstration repositories that showcase complete deliverables such as NHS Appointment Booking, M365 GCC-H Migration, HMRC Tax Assistant Chatbot, Windows 11 deployment, and AI governance platforms
Wardley maps, architecture diagrams, and other outputs are demonstrated in these public examples to illustrate end-to-end governance

The ArcKit Workflow

ArcKit guides through the enterprise architecture lifecycle in clearly delineated phases
Phase 0 to Phase 16 cover the comprehensive governance lifecycle, from project planning to publishing documentation
Each phase is accessed via dedicated commands, and outputs from each phase are designed for traceability back to requirements, stakeholders, and decision records
The workflow emphasizes:
Templates-driven quality to avoid forgotten sections
Systematic workflows spanning requirements, procurement, and design review
AI assistance to automate document generation while preserving human decision points
Enforced traceability with automatic gap detection and coverage analysis
Git-based version control for all artifacts

3.1 Phase 0: Project Planning

Create a project plan with a timeline, phases, and gates
Visualize the entire delivery:
GDS-style Agile Delivery phases (Discovery to Live)
Mermaid-based Gantt charts
Gates and decision points
Tailor the timeline to project complexity
Integrate ArcKit commands into the project schedule
Define gate approval criteria for governance

3.2 Phase 1: Establish Governance

Create or update enterprise architecture principles
Define organisation-wide standards:
Cloud strategy (AWS/Azure/GCP)
Security frameworks (Zero Trust and compliance)
Technology standards
FinOps and cost governance

3.3 Phase 2: Stakeholder Analysis

Analyze stakeholder drivers, goals, and outcomes before business case
Identify all stakeholders and document underlying drivers
Map drivers to SMART goals and measurable outcomes
Establish traceability from Stakeholder to Driver to Goal to Outcome
Identify conflicts and synergies
Define engagement and communication strategies

3.4 Phase 3: Risk Assessment

Create a comprehensive risk register following HM Treasury Orange Book
Consider six risk categories: Strategic, Operational, Financial, Compliance, Reputational, Technology
Assess inherent risks and residual risks
Apply the 4Ts risk response framework: Tolerate, Treat, Transfer, Terminate
Link each risk to a stakeholder from the RACI
Use the risk register to inform the SOBC’s Management Case

3.5 Phase 4: Business Case Justification

Create Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) using Green Book 5-case model
Analyze strategic options and map benefits to stakeholder goals
Provide high-level cost estimates and economic appraisal (ROI, payback)
Define procurement and funding strategy, governance and risk management
Enable go/no-go decisions before detailed requirements work

3.6 Phase 5: Define Requirements

Document comprehensive requirements, informed by stakeholder goals
Include business requirements with rationale, functional requirements with acceptance criteria, non-functional requirements, integration requirements, data requirements, and success criteria
Phase 5.3 Platform Design (Optional) covers multi-sided platforms with Platform Design Toolkit
Phase 5.5 Data Modeling results in an ERD, data governance matrix, and data-mapping traceability
Phase 5.7 Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) generates a DPIA for UK GDPR Article 35 compliance
Phase 5.8 Data Source Discovery identifies external data sources and conducts gap analysis

3.7 Phase 6: Technology Research

Research available solutions to meet requirements with build-vs-buy analysis
Evaluate commercial SaaS, open source options, and UK government platforms
Conduct total cost of ownership comparisons and vendor shortlisting
Integrate Wardley mapping to position technologies along evolution

3.8 Phase 6.5 Grants & Funding Research

Identify UK government grants, charitable funding, and accelerator programs
Apply eligibility scoring, timelines, and outputs into a structured funding register

3.9 Phase 7: Wardley Mapping

Create strategic Wardley Maps to visualize component evolution and strategic position
Map build-vs-buy decisions and align with government context
Use Wardley outputs to inform procurement and design reviews
Phase 7.5: Strategic Roadmap builds a multi-year transformation plan with Mermaid-based timelines

3.10 Phase 7.6 Architecture Strategy Synthesis

Synthesize strategic artifacts into a single Architecture Strategy document
Present a strategic vision, guiding principles, current and target state analyses, technology evolution, and investment themes
Traceability links from drivers to goals to themes and KPIs
Phase 7.7 Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) capture options analyses and decisions in MADR v4.0 format

3.11 Phase 8: Vendor Procurement

Generate SOW/RFPs and procurement artifacts
Access DOS procurement for UK Digital Marketplace, G-Cloud search, and supplier clarification
Build vendor evaluation frameworks and comparison matrices

3.12 Phase 9: Design Review

High-Level Design reviews (HLD) and Detailed Design reviews (DLD)
Ensure alignment with principles, requirements, security, and operational readiness

3.13 Phase 10: Sprint Planning

Create prioritized product backlogs by translating requirements into user stories
Organize work into sprints with dependency tracking and traceability
Export backlogs to Jira/Azure DevOps or JSON for integration

3.14 Phase 10.5: Backlog Export

Export product backlog to Trello with boards and cards
Provide labels, acceptance criteria, and points
Ensure rate limits and integrate with Trello

3.15 Phase 11: ServiceNow Service Management Design

Generate CMDB hierarchies, SLAs, incident management, and change plans
Align with ITIL and UK government requirements where relevant

3.16 Phase 12: Traceability

Generate full traceability matrices from requirements to design, tests, and changes
Include gap analysis and orphan detection

3.17 Phase 13: Quality Assurance

Periodic governance quality analysis across all artifacts
Assess principles compliance, coverage, stakeholder alignment, and risk management
Use before milestones or procurement decisions to maintain governance standards

3.18 Phase 14: Compliance Assessment (UK Government)

Prepare for GDS Service Standard and Technology Code of Practice assessments
Analyze evidence, identify gaps, and generate readiness ratings
Map ArcKit artifacts to service-standard evidence and compliance requirements

3.19 Phase 15: Project Story & Reporting

Generate a comprehensive project narrative with timeline analysis and governance achievements
Provide executive context, lessons learned, and a complete artifact appendix

3.20 Phase 16: Documentation Publishing

Generate an interactive documentation site with Mermaid diagrams
Deployable outputs for external sharing, portfolio views, and governance reporting

Wardley Mapping for Strategic Architecture

ArcKit leverages Wardley Maps to reveal strategic positioning before committing to a solution
The /arckit.wardley command outputs ready-to-visualize maps
Maps illustrate:
Traceability from user needs through the value chain
Evolution from Genesis to Commodity to guide build/buy/reuse/retire decisions
Shared situational awareness for procurement, vendor evaluation, and design reviews
Outputs are delivered in the Open Wardley Map format, ready to paste into Wardley Map tooling
Public demos such as arckit-test-project-v3-windows11 and arckit-test-project-v14-scottish-courts showcase realistic strategic maps

Architecture Diagrams with Mermaid

ArcKit generates visual diagrams to support technical communication and governance
Diagram types follow the C4 model and enterprise EA best practices
Diagram types supported:
C4 Context (Level 1): System boundaries and external actors
C4 Container (Level 2): Technical containers and technology choices
C4 Component (Level 3): Internal components within containers
Deployment: Infrastructure and cloud topology
Sequence: Interactions and API flows
Data Flow: Data movement, PII handling, GDPR considerations
Mermaid diagrams are embedded directly in outputs for immediate use
Outputs align with requirements and tests, and are used to support vendor evaluations, compliance storytelling, and design reviews

ServiceNow Service Management Design

ArcKit’s ServiceNow pack turns architecture artifacts into operations-ready service designs
Outputs include:
CMDB hierarchies, SLAs, incident and change management plans
Monitoring and runbooks aligned with ITIL processes
UK government extras such as GDS Service Standard, TCoP compliance, and GOV.UK Pay/Notify dependencies
Public demos illustrate end-to-end ServiceNow outputs derived from ArcKit artifacts

Documentation and Guides

Core references are organized under docs/ with quick tours and lifecycle visuals
Key guides cover:
Principles and requirements
Procurement and design review
Traceability and governance patterns
DDaT role guides align ArcKit commands to UK government roles
The documentation site is designed for navigation and versioned artifacts

AI Assistants Supported

ArcKit supports a slate of AI assistants to match different preferences
Claude Code
Premier support with full plugin, agents, hooks, and MCP servers
Gemini CLI
Full CLI extension experience with MCP servers and updates
GitHub Copilot
Delivers ArcKit commands as prompt files and supports repo-wide context
OpenAI Codex CLI and OpenCode CLI
Core command functionality with scaffolding and templates
Platform notes
ArcKit is developed and tested on Linux; Windows support varies and may require WSL2 or devcontainers

Why Commands, Not Skills

ArcKit exposes commands as slash commands to ensure deliberate invocation and correct sequencing
Benefits:
Heavyweight governance outputs are generated on demand
Dependency ordering is preserved (principles → stakeholders → requirements, etc.)
Context-aware prompts via ARGUMENTS substitution preserve project state
Users gain explicit command invocations and natural-language intent matching without restructuring

Project Structure

ArcKit creates a structured repository layout with key folders:
.arckit/ containing scripts, templates, and template-custom
projects/ with individual projects (e.g., 001-payment-gateway) and artifact files
wardley-maps/ with Wardley outputs
.agents/skills/ for Codex CLI skills
.github/ prompts and agents for Copilot integration
.codex/ agents and configuration for MCP servers
docs/ for user guides and references
.opencode/commands/ for OpenCode CLI
This structure ensures templates are preserved while updates refresh default templates

Template Customization

Customization model:
Default templates live in .arckit/templates/
Your customizations reside in .arckit/templates-custom/, preserved across updates
ArcKit commands check custom templates first, then fall back to defaults
Common customization examples:
Organization-specific document control fields
Mandatory compliance sections (ISO 27001, PCI-DSS)
Department-specific approval workflows
UK Government classification banners

Complete Command Reference (Overview)

ArcKit provides a broad command set organized by lifecycle stage
Examples include:
/arckit.init to initialize a project
/arckit.plan for project planning
/arckit.principles to define architecture principles
/arckit.stakeholders for stakeholder analysis
/arckit.requirements for comprehensive requirements
/arckit.data-model for ERD and GDPR-conscious data modeling
/arckit.wardley and related Wardley mapping commands
/arckit.roadmap for multi-year strategic roadmapping
/arckit.adr for Architecture Decision Records
/arckit.sow, /arckit.dos, /arckit.gcloud-search for procurement documents and market research
/arckit.diagram for Mermaid diagrams
/arckit.servicenow for ServiceNow service design
/arckit.traceability for traceability matrices
/arckit.analyze for governance QA
/arckit.service-assessment, /arckit.tcop, /arckit.secure, /arckit.ai-playbook, /arckit.atrs for UK government compliance
/arckit.presentation to generate MARP slides
/arckit.pages to publish a documentation site
Status indicators (Live, Beta, Alpha, Experimental) accompany command references in the broader documentation

UK Government and Compliance

ArcKit includes dedicated commands intended for UK public sector delivery:
/arckit.service-assessment for GDS Service Standard readiness
/arckit.tcop to assess Technology Code of Practice compliance
/arckit.secure for Secure by Design assessments (NCSC CAF, Cyber Essentials, UK GDPR)
/arckit.mod-secure for MOD Secure by Design (JSP 440, IAMM, vetting, etc.)
/arckit.jsp-936 for MOD AI assurance packs in defence AI programs
The toolkit aligns with government workflow models (Wardley mapping, SBoCs, and cross-government traceability)

Example Outputs and Demonstrations

ArcKit’s public test repositories showcase complete deliverables
NHS Appointment Booking: eco-system of GDPR safeguards and NHS Spine integration
M365 GCC-H Migration: government cloud migration with compliance mapping
HMRC Tax Assistant: multilingual conversational AI with privacy safeguards
Windows 11 Deployment: enterprise OS rollout with security baselines
Patent Application System, ONS Data Platform, Cabinet Office GenAI Platform, and more
Wardley maps and Mermaid diagrams are used to illustrate strategy and architectural decisions
ServiceNow deliverables and traceability matrices appear in public demos

Documentation Publishing and Portfolio Narratives

ArcKit supports publishing outputs as documentation websites with:
Static site generation of docs/index.html and docs/manifest.json
Inline rendering of Mermaid diagrams
GOV.UK styling for government-facing artifacts
A navigable project tree with version badges and category structure
Publishing is designed for sharing governance narratives with leaders and stakeholders

Visuals and Branding

ArcKit branding emphasizes a professional, government-facing governance toolkit
The ArcKit logo and banner appear in its documentation and demonstrations to reinforce its identity
Visual outputs (Wardley maps, diagrams, and narrative slides) are designed to be presentation-ready

Contributing and Support

ArcKit welcomes contributions and provides guidelines in its CONTRIBUTING.md
Areas for collaboration include:
Integrations with Jira and Azure DevOps
Additional AI agent support
Template improvements based on real-world usage
Documentation and examples
ServiceNow API integration for CI/CD creation
Support channels include GitHub Issues and Releases pages for updates and community feedback

Quick Summary of Value

ArcKit delivers a unified, AI-assisted governance workflow for enterprise architecture
It provides end-to-end traceability, templates, and automation to reduce duplication and misalignment
It integrates with UK government standards and compliance frameworks, improving auditability and governance readiness
It supports multiple AI assistants and tooling ecosystems, enabling teams to choose their preferred platform
It emphasizes a safe, version-controlled, and auditable process that preserves project data across updates

Images and Visual References

ArcKit Banner: Included at the top of the description as a branding reference
ArcKit Logo: Included within documentation to reinforce brand identity
Wardley maps and Mermaid diagrams: Generated outputs highlighted in public demos and outputs
ServiceNow pack: Demonstrated in public demos to illustrate operations-oriented governance

Final Note

ArcKit is designed to make enterprise architecture governance repeatable, traceable, and AI-assisted
It aims to reduce the friction between governance, procurement, and design while ensuring compliance with public sector standards
The toolkit is adaptable, template-driven, and extensible through plugin and extension ecosystems, with a strong emphasis on governance integrity and stakeholder alignment
Image references reproduced from the input:
ArcKit Banner:
ArcKit Logo:

Built with care for enterprise architects who want systematic, AI-assisted governance.

ArcKit - Enterprise Architecture Governance Toolkit

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GitHub - tractorjuice/arc-kit: ArcKit - Enterprise Architecture Governance Toolkit

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