Architecture-as-code is the next frontier for enterprise governance

This report outlines the concept of architecture-as-code, proposing that architectural standards, approved patterns, evidence requirements, and exceptions be represented as machine-readable artifacts so they can be versioned, evaluated, tested, and observed as part of the software delivery lifecycle. It contrasts traditional point-in-time architecture review boards with a continuous assurance model that uses automated 'fitness functions' to detect drift in APIs, authentication, cloud usage, data flows, and other implementation details, enabling ongoing governance rather than one-off reviews.