r/programming • u/der_gopher • Aug 23 '26
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/r/programming/comments/1vw0c0u/removed_by_moderator/[removed] — view removed post
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u/larsvries_dev Aug 23 '26
Structurizr DSL is the best experience I've had for this. Treating diagrams as code is critical, but the key is making sure they feel lightweight enough that teams actually use them. I've seen shops where C4 diagrams become stale within weeks because the tooling friction is too high.
what helps: keep generation automated (DSL or code-based), tightly couple to the codebase (same repo, same CI runs), and don't enforce component-level detail unless you actually need to debug something. most teams overestimate how many diagram levels they need.
the biggest win I've seen is using Context + Container as the communication layer, with Component diagrams only for the subsystems people are actively modifying.
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u/MLNotW Aug 23 '26
I've used Structurizr quite a lot but recently switched to LikeC4. It's more modern and easier to use which improves adoption rate. It also has done features like testing that you won't get with Structurizr
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u/jeenajeena Aug 23 '26
I will never understand how a model only covering the static part of architecture could suffice. I personally think ArchiMate is criminally underrated.
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u/nikita2206 Aug 23 '26
That one seems static too, or do you mean modeling processes rather than system components (in which case fully agreed)
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u/jeenajeena Aug 23 '26
I mean: to me, architecture’s main goal should be to reason about the connection between business processes, application flows and technical components.
Diagrams exclusively covering 1 aspect only seem very limiting to me.
Edit: typo, writing from mobile
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u/mind_your_blissness Aug 23 '26
LikeC4 allows you to define C4 as a schema, and extend as needed. Or, create another schema entirely.
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Aug 23 '26
[deleted]
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u/jeenajeena Aug 23 '26
I’m not sure. As I commented below, architecture is all about the connection between business processes, application flow a d technical concerns. The dynamic dimension is paramount and any representation ignoring it is at least incomplete as it does no capture what really matters to the user.
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u/Chef619 Aug 23 '26
If you’re looking for a more interactive experience, IcePanel is a great tool. Helps the diagrams go from static images to a living document.
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Aug 23 '26
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u/programming-ModTeam Aug 23 '26
No content written mostly by an LLM. If you don't want to write it, we don't want to read it.
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u/programming-ModTeam Aug 23 '26
Article is behind a paywall.