Sangeetha-Grantha

Metadata	Value
Status	Active
Version	1.1.0
Last Updated	2026-09-10
Author	Sangeetha Grantha Team
Document Type	Current guide

Documentation Retention and Archiving Plan

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Overview

This document outlines the retention and archiving strategy for Sangita Grantha documentation. The goal is to maintain a clean, current documentation tree while preserving historical context.

Archive Location

All archived documentation is stored in application_documentation/archive/ with the following structure:

archive/
├── database-archive/      # Legacy database schemas and migrations
├── graph-explorer/        # Archived graph database evaluation docs
├── requirements-spec/     # Legacy requirement specifications
├── ui-ux/                 # Archived UI/UX documentation
└── [feature-name]/        # Feature-specific archived docs

When to Archive

Documentation should be archived when:

1. Superseded: Replaced by newer, canonical documentation
2. Obsolete: No longer reflects current implementation or plans
3. Historical: Preserved for reference but not actively maintained
4. Experimental: From features that were evaluated but not implemented

Archiving Process

Step 1: Create Archive Directory

If archiving a feature or topic, create a subdirectory in archive/:

mkdir -p application_documentation/archive/[feature-name]

Step 2: Add README

Create a README.md in the archive directory explaining:

• What was archived and why
• Date of archival
• Link to canonical replacement (if applicable)
• Brief summary of contents

Example:

[Feature Name] Archive

Overview

[Brief description of what was archived]

Contents

• [List of files and their purpose]

Archive Rationale

[Why these documents were archived]

Canonical Replacement

[Link to current documentation, if applicable]

Step 3: Move Files

Move files to the archive directory:

mv application_documentation/[path]/[file].md \
   application_documentation/archive/[feature-name]/

Step 4: Update References

• Update any cross-references in active documentation
• Add tombstone notes in original locations if needed
• Update the main documentation index if the file was listed

Step 5: Update Status

Set the document status to "Archived" in front matter:

Current Archive Contents

Database Archive (archive/database-archive/)

Legacy database schemas, DDL scripts, and design documents from earlier iterations.

Graph Explorer Archive (archive/graph-explorer/)

Documentation from the Neo4j graph database evaluation phase. The feature was not implemented, but the evaluation documents are preserved for reference.

Requirements Spec Archive (archive/requirements-spec/)

Legacy requirement specifications that have been superseded by the current PRD structure.

UI/UX Archive (archive/ui-ux/)

Archived UI/UX documentation and specifications.

Retention Guidelines

Keep Active

• Current PRDs and requirements
• Active architecture documentation
• Current API contracts
• Database schema documentation (current)
• Backend and frontend implementation guides
• Operations runbooks
• Test plans and quality reports

Archive

• Superseded specifications
• Experimental feature evaluations (not implemented)
• Legacy database schemas
• Obsolete UI mockups or designs
• Historical planning documents

Delete (Rare)

Only delete documentation if:

• It contains sensitive information that should not be preserved
• It’s a duplicate with no historical value
• It’s a temporary scratch file

Note: When in doubt, archive rather than delete.

Maintenance

Quarterly Review

Review the documentation tree quarterly to:

• Identify obsolete documents for archiving
• Verify archive READMEs are accurate
• Check for broken cross-references
• Update retention plan if needed

Archive Index

The main documentation index (application_documentation/README.md) references the retention plan but does not list all archived documents. Archive directories should maintain their own README files for discoverability.

References

• Documentation Standards
• Documentation Index
• ADR-001: Spec-Driven Documentation

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