# How diagrams work

You do not need this to use the app. It is here because two questions come up constantly: where does my diagram actually live, and does anything leave my Confluence site.

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## The path a diagram takes

![How a diagram is saved and rendered](https://help.gocapable.com/images/att1411743769.svg)

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## What that means in practice

| **Step**                | **Where it happens**                                                                                                                                                                                                  | **Why it matters**                                                          |
| ----------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| You draw or write       | Your browser                                                                                                                                                                                                          | Nothing has left your site yet.                                             |
| The source is saved     | Your Confluence site, as custom content                                                                                                                                                                               | The diagram is backed up and restored with your site.                       |
| It is rendered          | Browser for some languages, the Capable renderer for others. See [Security and privacy](https://help.gocapable.com/diagrams/security-and-privacy.html). | This is the only step where source can leave your site.                     |
| A thumbnail is attached | Your site, as a page attachment                                                                                                                                                                                       | Exports and published sites use this, so they work without a live renderer. |

ℹ️

**Editing a diagram edits the source, not the picture.** The rendered image is derived, and regenerated whenever the source changes. That is why there is never a stale copy to clean up.

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## Related

[Security and privacyExactly what leaves your site, and when.](https://help.gocapable.com/diagrams/security-and-privacy.html)

[Text or visual diagramsChoosing between writing and drawing.](https://help.gocapable.com/diagrams/overview.html)

[ReferenceWhich language renders where.](https://help.gocapable.com/diagrams/reference.html)

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_The picture is derived. The source is the thing you own._