Architecture diagrams show topology.
They rarely show evolution.
That is a major omission.
A diagram may show services, databases, queues, and dependencies.
It rarely shows which system is new, which is legacy, which is being retired, which exists because of an incident, and which assumption is expiring.
Without time, diagrams become misleadingly complete.
Every boundary has a story. Every queue has a reason. Every replica has an assumption. Every exception has a date.
A good architecture representation should show how the system became what it is and where it is expected to go.
AI reviewing architecture needs to know not just current state, but directionality.
Is this complexity intentional or leftover? Is this migration active or abandoned? Is this dependency strategic or accidental?
Architecture diagrams should not merely show structure.
They should show time.
Because systems are not only built. They evolve.