The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) is a framework - a detailed method and a set of supporting tools - for developing an enterprise architecture. It may be used freely by any organization wishing to develop an enterprise architecture for use within that organization (see Conditions of Use).

TOGAF was developed by members of The Open Group, working within the Architecture Forum (www.opengroup.org/architecture). The original development of TOGAF Version 1 in 1995 was based on the Technical Architecture Framework for Information Management (TAFIM), developed by the US Department of Defense (DoD). The DoD gave The Open Group explicit permission and encouragement to create TOGAF by building on the TAFIM, which itself was the result of many years of development effort and many millions of dollars of US Government investment.

Starting from this sound foundation, the members of The Open Group Architecture Forum have developed successive versions of TOGAF each year and published each one on The Open Group public web site.

If you are new to the field of enterprise architecture and/or TOGAF, you may find it worthwhile to read the set of Frequently Asked Questions (Frequently Asked Questions), where you will find answers to questions such as:

* What is an architecture framework?
* What kind of "architecture" are we talking about?
* How does my organization benefit from using TOGAF?

Structure of the TOGAF Document
There are four main parts to the TOGAF document:

PART I
(Introduction) This Part provides a high-level introduction to some of the key concepts behind enterprise architecture and in particular the TOGAF approach.
PART II
(Architecture Development Method) This is the core of TOGAF. It describes the TOGAF Architecture Development Method (ADM) - a step-by-step approach to developing an enterprise architecture.
PART III
(Enterprise Continuum) This Part describes the TOGAF Enterprise Continuum, a virtual repository of architecture assets, which includes the TOGAF Foundation Architecture, and the Integrated Information Infrastructure Reference Model (III-RM).
PART IV
(Resources) This Part comprises the TOGAF Resource Base - a set of tools and techniques available for use in applying TOGAF and the TOGAF ADM.