Architecture Simulations
Explore durable what-if architecture changes without modifying the baseline
Architecture Simulations are versioned, durable what-if workspaces under History → Simulations. They let you explore a future-state proposal while keeping the baseline architecture unchanged.
Architecture Simulations model proposed architecture changes. They are different from the simplified traffic animation available in Explorer.
Start A Simulation
Choose New simulation to open Archie, or start one from a connected MCP client. State the objective, focal systems, constraints, and expected outcome. The simulation records the selected baseline version and its origin.
Archie or the MCP client should inspect the baseline before proposing changes. A simulation can change its modeled systems, relationships, and workflows without editing the baseline.
Revisions And Families
Every accepted simulation edit appends an immutable revision. You can inspect earlier revisions and continue from the latest revision without losing the history of the proposal.
Related attempts are grouped into families by intent. Expand a family to compare earlier approaches to the same architectural objective.
Statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | The proposal is still being explored |
| Ready for review | Expected outcomes and modeled changes are complete enough for review |
| Materialized | An inactive candidate architecture version has been created from the proposal |
| Archived | The simulation is retained but removed from the active review queue |
Readiness blockers identify missing evidence or incomplete outcomes before review.
Review A Proposal
Inspect:
- Objective and expected outcome
- Baseline version and current revision
- Systems added or removed
- Relationship changes
- Workflow changes and degradation implications
- Data Model impact and cited evidence, when present
- Documents published from the selected revision
The baseline is never mutated by simulation editing.
Compare On The Simulation Page
The simulation list and detail page use the available page width. Switch between Current, Proposed, and Diff, then choose Architecture, Impact, Workflows, Events, or Data to inspect the evidence available for that proposal.
In Workflows, select a named workflow to compare its current and proposed execution paths. Each workflow diagram has Left to right, Top to bottom, and Packed auto-layout controls. Collapse the process trace to give the diagram more space, then reopen it to inspect steps and connections.
Long descriptions and repeated evidence can be expanded when needed, keeping the comparison itself visible.
Discuss And Save The Proposal
Choose Discuss with Archie to open a conversation focused on the simulation and its baseline version. The discussion includes a simulation reference card, so follow-up questions have the proposal attached rather than depending on a vague reference to the current page.
Choose Save to document to create an Architecture Document from the selected simulation revision. This requires project edit access. The simulation stays available in History, and saving a document does not apply the proposal to the baseline.
To include the proposal in an existing document, insert a Simulation artifact. Choose the full simulation, architecture comparison, a specific workflow, or impact, and pin the evidence to the reviewed revision. Multiple focused blocks can sit beside your reasoning and other model evidence.
Materialize A Candidate
When the simulation is ready, materialize it as an inactive candidate version. The candidate then follows the normal version review, comparison, activation, and merge workflow. Materialization is terminal for that simulation and does not silently replace the active version.
Published documents and materialized candidate versions are retained even if the originating simulation is later deleted.
Concurrency And MCP
Simulation mutation uses an expected revision. If another client has advanced the simulation, inspect the returned latest revision before continuing instead of replaying a stale write. Simulation IDs can be resumed across compatible MCP clients and reconnects.