System context (Structurizr)
Structurizr's whole idea is that you describe the model once and then declare views. Change a relationship and every view showing it updates.
#What this example shows
A model block containing people, systems and containers.
Relationships declared once, in the model.
Two views over the same model.
#A worked example
Open it, edit it, or copy the source below.
The source, which you can paste into a new diagram and edit:
workspace "Order platform" {
model {
customer = person "Customer" "Places and tracks orders"
agent = person "Support agent" "Handles queries and refunds"
orders = softwareSystem "Order platform" {
web = container "Web application" "Storefront" "React"
api = container "Order API" "Order lifecycle" "Node.js"
worker = container "Fulfilment worker" "Async jobs" "Node.js"
db = container "Order database" "Orders and customers" "PostgreSQL"
queue = container "Job queue" "Fulfilment jobs" "Redis Streams"
}
payments = softwareSystem "Payment provider" "External"
warehouse = softwareSystem "Warehouse system" "External"
customer -> web "Browses and orders" "HTTPS"
agent -> web "Handles queries" "HTTPS"
web -> api "Calls" "JSON/HTTPS"
api -> db "Reads and writes" "SQL"
api -> queue "Enqueues jobs"
api -> payments "Charges cards" "HTTPS"
worker -> queue "Consumes jobs"
worker -> db "Reads and writes" "SQL"
worker -> warehouse "Sends fulfilment" "SFTP"
}
views {
systemContext orders "Context" {
include *
autolayout lr
}
container orders "Containers" {
include *
autolayout lr
}
}
}
#Making it your own
Declare relationships once, in the model, never per view. That is the benefit.
A view with no include shows nothing; include * is the usual start.
For a single diagram, C4-PlantUML is less setup for the same picture.
Specialists. Borrow one when you need it.
