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arc42.org-site
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A View on Functional Software Architecture
There a various standards for documenting software architecture, like arc42 or C4. While useful and somewhat well-known (there is certainly a correlation here), here architecture documentation can be further simplified, particularly due to the self-similarity of project and component. Following is a small template, that can also serve as a project's and component's README:
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Architecture diagrams enable better conversations
I've been using https://structurizr.com/ to automatically generate C4 diagrams from a model (rather than drawing them by hand). It works well with the approach for written documentation as proposed in https://arc42.org/. It's very easy to embed a C4 diagram into a markdown document.
The result is a set of documents and diagrams under version control that can be rendered using the structurizr documentation server (for interactive diagrams and indexed search).
I also use https://d2lang.com/ for declarative diagrams in addition to C4, e.g., sequence diagrams and https://adr.github.io/ for architectural decision records. These are also well integrated into structurizr.
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Documenting a software project
My general approach to documentation is a "software guidebook" (free e-book link) or arc42 ... complemented with diagrams and architecture decision records where necessary.
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System Design How to?
In addition to a small number of diagrams, I'd recommend something like arc42 or my "software guidebook" (link for a free copy of my book describing this), plus some architecture decision records.
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Solution Templates
Arc42 may give some inspiration https://arc42.org/
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What's your process to create documentation for a new startup's application?
If you need more structure than ADRs then https://arc42.org is super useful.
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Recommendations for an Online Introduction to Software Modeling
There are plenty of good resources out there for learning modeling languages and architectural documentation structures. For more lightweight methods, I'd recommend checking out resources like Simon Brown's C4 model for visualizing software architecture, Martin Fowler's UML Distilled: A Brief Guide to the Standard Object Modeling Language, Scott Ambler's Agile Modeling site, and the arc42 template for architectural documentation.
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How to get good at writing design documents?
As you need to, you can get into topics like different modeling languages or documentation template libraries. These are going to be highly dependent on your organization, though, as different organizations have different standards for what and how to document design decisions. Personally, I've found that the arc42 documentation template plus the C4 modeling language plus the UML modeling language (see UML as sketch and UML as notes for more on lightweight UML) for the most detailed models (which are rarely needed outside of the most complex parts of a system) tends to be a good, agile, lightweight model for the kinds of things to think about when it comes to creating design documentation.
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How to improve writing documentation?
We've started using Arc42 and C4 model & PlantUML for diagrams. Working out well so far.
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About documentation
arc42 - arc42
d2
- NMAP-formatter: convert NMAP results to HTML, CSV, JSON, graphviz (dot), SQLite
- Penrose – Penrose
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Pikchr: A PIC-like markup language for diagrams in technical documentation
While not embedded in markdown, I like d2 [1]. I can use it with org-babel to embed and view the diagrams on emacs. After using graphviz for years, the visual output seems more polished to me. With that said, I want to give pikchr a try.
[1]:https://d2lang.com/
- Ask HN: How do you build diagrams for the web?
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Documentation as Code for Cloud - C4 Model & Structurizr
In the next post I'll deep-dive into the D2 language which also has a huge set of features. Stay tuned.
- Inkscape Cloud Architect
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Nomnoml
That site is created by the maintainers of D2[1], so it might be biased, but I still think D2 has the friendliest syntax of the bunch, including nomnoml.
[1]: https://d2lang.com/
- Software Architecture Tools
- D2: Declarative Diagramming
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Architecture diagrams enable better conversations
I've been using https://structurizr.com/ to automatically generate C4 diagrams from a model (rather than drawing them by hand). It works well with the approach for written documentation as proposed in https://arc42.org/. It's very easy to embed a C4 diagram into a markdown document.
The result is a set of documents and diagrams under version control that can be rendered using the structurizr documentation server (for interactive diagrams and indexed search).
I also use https://d2lang.com/ for declarative diagrams in addition to C4, e.g., sequence diagrams and https://adr.github.io/ for architectural decision records. These are also well integrated into structurizr.
What are some alternatives?
diataxis-documentation-framework - A systematic approach to creating better documentation.
mermaid - Generation of diagrams like flowcharts or sequence diagrams from text in a similar manner as markdown
jgmd - A directory of direct links to get your personal data from web services.
C4-PlantUML - C4-PlantUML combines the benefits of PlantUML and the C4 model for providing a simple way of describing and communicate software architectures
c4-notation - Technical resources for using the C4 model for visualizing software architecture.
d3 - Bring data to life with SVG, Canvas and HTML. :bar_chart::chart_with_upwards_trend::tada:
architecture_decision_record - Architecture decision record (ADR) examples for software planning, IT leadership, and template documentation
Mermaid - Edit, preview and share mermaid charts/diagrams. New implementation of the live editor.
architecture-decision
diagrams - :art: Diagram as Code for prototyping cloud system architectures
java - Structurizr for Java
mermaid-cli - Command line tool for the Mermaid library