Software and architecture

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Software diagrams have one failure mode above all others: they are drawn for a review, approved, and then never opened again. Every recommendation here is biased towards diagrams that are cheap to change, because a diagram that is cheap to change is one that stays true.

Where a text language will do the job, use it. Keep the canvas for diagrams where position genuinely carries meaning.

#In this section

UML diagramsThe UML diagram types you can draw in Confluence today, with the recommended language for each one.C4 modelDocument architecture with the C4 model and choose between C4-PlantUML and the Structurizr DSL.Software architecture diagramDraw a software architecture diagram in Confluence and keep it versioned with the page it documents.Microservices architectureDiagram service boundaries, queues, databases, and synchronous versus asynchronous calls.Dependency graphRender a dependency graph from DOT for package trees, service call graphs or build pipelines.Git branching diagramDraw a git branching diagram to explain your branching model, releases, merges and cherry picks.Requirements diagramLink requirements to the elements that satisfy and verify them in a SysML style requirements diagram.Event modelingLay out an event model with commands, events, read models and the timeline that connects them.ArchiMate diagramDraw ArchiMate enterprise architecture views in Confluence using the shipped ArchiMate shapes and stdlib.Block diagramDraw a block diagram of boxes and arrows in Confluence, from text or on a canvas.

Cheap to change means it stays true.