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Documentation Playbook

Sample Diagrams

  • Domain Driven UML
    • Domain-Driven Design use case
  • Data flow Diagram
    • feed_poller_dfd.png
  • Architectural Diagram
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High-level Architecture Documentation

  • TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework)
  • C4 Model (Context, Containers, Components, Code)
  • RFC (Request for Comment) Document

Types of Diagrams

Architectural Diagrams (Technical)​

  • Cloud Diagram
  • Network Diagram
  • Entity Relationship Diagram (Database)
  • Data flow Diagram
  • Swimlane Diagram
  • Sequence Diagram
  • Technical Architecture Diagram
    • Scenario View
      • Logical View
    • Physical View (cloud view)
    • Process View

Tools (architecture as code)

  • C4 MODEL
  • Mermaid JS
  • Technical Specifications

Commonly used Architecture diagrams​

UML Diagrams​

All 14 UMl diagram types categorized into behavioral and structural UML

Structure diagrams show the things in the modeled system. In a more technical term, they show different objects in a system. Behavioral diagrams show what should happen in a system. They describe how the objects interact with each other to create a functioning system.

Class Diagram​

Class diagrams are the main building block of any object-oriented solution. It shows the classes in a system, attributes, and operations of each class and the relationship between each class. [Class diagram, the most popular UML diagram type

Component Diagram​

A component diagram displays the structural relationship of components of a software system.

Component diagram template with explanation

Deployment Diagram​

A deployment diagram shows the hardware of your system and the software in that hardware.

Deployment diagram template

Click on the image to use this deployment diagram as a template

Get More Deployment Diagram Templates >>​

Object Diagram​

Object Diagrams, sometimes referred to as Instance diagrams are very similar to class diagrams. Like class diagrams, they also show the relationship between objects but they use real-world examples.

Object diagram template

Use Case Diagram​

As the most known diagram type of the behavioral UML types, Use case diagrams give a graphic overview of the actors involved in a system, different functions needed by those actors and how these different functions interact.

Use case diagram drawing using Creately

Click on the image to edit this template

Get More Use Case Diagram Examples >>​

Sequence Diagram​

Sequence diagrams in UML show how objects interact with each other and the order those interactions occur. It’s important to note that they show the interactions for a particular scenario. The processes are represented vertically and interactions are shown as arrows. This article explains the purpose and the basics of Sequence diagrams. Also, check out this complete Sequence Diagram Tutorial to learn more about sequence diagrams.

You can also instantly start drawing using our sequence diagram templates. Mentioned above are all the UML diagram types. UML offers many diagram types, and sometimes two diagrams can explain the same thing using different notations.