---
name: coderabbit-reference-architecture
description: >-
  Design a governed deployment across provider, configuration, review, knowledge, tools, data, identity, and observability. Use when this operator task needs a current, evidence-backed
  CodeRabbit workflow. Trigger with "design CodeRabbit architecture".
allowed-tools: Read,Glob,Grep,Write,Edit
version: 2.0.0
argument-hint: "[target] [evidence-or-scope]"
model: inherit
effort: high
author: Jeremy Longshore <jeremy@intentsolutions.io>
license: MIT
compatibility: Requires current CodeRabbit documentation and approved access for any live organization, repository, billing, or API change
tags: [saas, coderabbit, architecture, governance, integration]
---
# CodeRabbit Reference Architecture

## Overview

Make authority and data flow explicit. Separate source, control planes, provider events, knowledge sources, and reporting.

## Prerequisites

- Identify the CodeRabbit organization, Git provider, repository, plan, and accountable owner.
- Read `references/official-docs.md` and re-check any time-sensitive contract before execution.
- Use synthetic or read-only evidence until the approval boundary is satisfied.
- Preserve the repository's independent CI, security, and human-review requirements.

## Current Contract

- Repository YAML, central config, settings, and global overrides form precedence.
- CodeRabbit can use guidelines, learnings, linked repos, MCP, and tools.
- Provider support and auth differ.
- Dashboards, exports, reports, and APIs are distinct.

## Authentication

Treat Git-provider sessions, CodeRabbit web sessions, CLI credentials, and CodeRabbit API keys as separate credentials. Use only an already-approved session or secret-manager reference, never print a secret, and do not place credentials in `.coderabbit.yaml`, source files, logs, or deliverables.

## Instructions

1. Map organizations, providers, repos, trust zones, data, identities, plans, and gates.

2. Draw configuration resolution and review-event flows with ownership.

3. Select knowledge, tools, cache, retention, reporting, and continuity controls.

4. Validate happy, exclusion, provider-failure, secret, and rollback paths.

## Tool Discipline

- Use **Glob** to locate candidate configuration and evidence files without widening scope.
- Use **Grep** to find relevant fields, commands, identifiers, and stale claims.
- Use **Read** to inspect the smallest required files and authoritative evidence.
- Use **Write** only for a new approved local draft or evidence artifact.
- Use **Edit** only for a bounded approved change whose rollback is known.
- Do not use these file tools as a substitute for authenticated CodeRabbit or provider operations.

## Approval Boundaries

Require architecture, security, privacy, repository, and platform owners before scope expansion. Keep analysis and drafts local until approval is explicit, and record who approved the action and its scope.

## Output

A boundary diagram, authority matrix, data flows, controls, failure modes, and phased plan. Include source dates, unknowns, and the exact boundary between observed fact and recommendation.

## Error Handling

| Condition | Response |
|---|---|
| Current contract is unclear or docs disagree | Stop mutation, cite both sources, and request owner resolution. |
| Required access or approval is missing | Produce a draft and evidence plan only. |
| Validation or pilot behavior differs from expectation | Restore the prior state and retain the failed evidence. |
| Output contains secrets or private code | Stop, quarantine the artifact, redact it, and notify the data owner. |

## Examples

### Example 1

Design central defaults with local exceptions and global security overrides.

### Example 2

Add MCP context only after data scope and auth approval.

## Validation

- Confirm every claim against the dated sources in `references/official-docs.md`.
- Verify the requested scope, owner, approval, happy path, failure path, and rollback.
- Re-read the effective configuration or provider state after any approved change.
- Report unsupported fields, undocumented endpoints, and unverified assumptions as failures.

## Resources

- [Official documentation and contract notes](references/official-docs.md)
- Re-check the dated contract before any live operation.
- Treat unresolved or changed vendor behavior as a stop condition.