Automated Architecture Governance in CI/CD Pipelines

It can be difficult to ensure adherence to the prescribed architecture without trying to be everywhere all the time.

Architecture governance plays crucial role in enhancing the quality and maintainability of software systems. As software architects, we must define the principles and constraints of a given system to achieve key system qualities. In this session we introduce tools and techniques that enable automated architecture governance within CI/CD pipelines.

By defining and enforcing architectural rules programmatically, these tools ensure that developers adhere to established design principles and best practices, leading to more consistent and robust codebases. As a result, software architects can proactively identify and address architectural erosion or deviations, preventing potential issues from escalating into more significant technical debt.

We will introduce two key tools, ArchUnit and NetArchTest. These are libraries that allow developers and architects to enforce architectural rules in their code bases. They are designed to be simple and easy to use, and it integrates well with popular testing frameworks.

Integrating these tools within CI/CD pipelines facilitates continuous validation of architecture constraints, allowing for early detection and resolution of violations. Ultimately, the use of ArchUnit and NetArchTest promotes a culture of architectural awareness, elevating the overall quality of software projects and fostering a more sustainable development process.

About Michael Carducci

Michael Carducci spent years learning to see things as they actually are; first as a magician, then as a software architect, now as both simultaneously. And somehow that’s not even the whole story.

He’s the author of Mastering Software Architecture (Apress, 2025) and is currently writing The Semantic Layer. He has spent over 25 years following interesting problems; through roles from individual contributor to CTO and back again, across industries and continents.

As a speaker, he applies the same toolkit he uses in close-up magic: attention, misdirection, timing, storytelling, and the instinct to take the long way around when that’s where the truth lives. Audiences at hundreds of conferences across four continents have described his talks as the kind that change how you think about a problem rather than just what you know about it.

He also makes YouTube videos about technology and curiosity with his wife Kate, because some ideas are too important (or too interesting!) to leave only in conference rooms.

More About Michael »