This GitHub repository is a collection of tooling to help you visualise, document and explore the software architecture of a software system. In summary, it allows you to create a software architecture model based upon Simon Brown's C4 model using Java code, and then export that model to be visualised using tools such as:

1. Structurizr: a web-based software as a service and on-premises product to render software architecture diagrams and supplementary Markdown/AsciiDoc documentation.
2. PlantUML: a tool to create UML diagrams using a simple textual domain specific language.
3. Graphviz: a tool to render directed graphs using the DOT format.

As an example, the following Java code can be used to create a software architecture model that describes a user using a software system.

Workspace workspace = new Workspace("Getting Started", "This is a model of my software system.");
Model model = workspace.getModel();

Person user = model.addPerson("User", "A user of my software system.");
SoftwareSystem softwareSystem = model.addSoftwareSystem("Software System", "My software system.");
user.uses(softwareSystem, "Uses");

ViewSet views = workspace.getViews();
SystemContextView contextView = views.createSystemContextView(softwareSystem, "SystemContext", "An example of a System Context diagram.");
contextView.addAllSoftwareSystems();
contextView.addAllPeople();

If using Structurizr, the end-result, after adding some styling and positioning the diagram elements, is a system context diagram like this:

You can see the live workspace at https://structurizr.com/share/25441.

Table of contents

• Introduction
  • Getting started
  • Basic concepts (workspaces, models, views and documentation)
  • C4 model
  • Binaries
  • API Client
• Diagrams
  • System Context diagram
  • Container diagram
  • Component diagram
  • Dynamic diagram
  • Deployment diagram
  • Enterprise Context diagram
  • Styling elements
  • Styling relationships
• Software architecture model
  • Extracting components from your codebase
  • Components and supporting types
  • The Spring PetClinic example
• Documentation
  • Documentation
• Exporting and visualising with other tools
  • PlantUML
  • Graphviz and DOT
• Other
  • Client-side encryption
  • Corporate branding
  • Building from source