On: How to draw software architecture diagrams (2022)

[gtirloni]

For me, keeping the abstraction level consistent is really hard sometimes. Especially with infrastructure diagrams, it's sometimes hard to stop the urge to add more details at different levels.

I wonder if there's a tool that would allow me to easily zoom into a diagram, kinda like those infinite zoomquilt animations.

[123pie123 → gtirloni]

I've been thinking and doing this for many years - I've tried very hard to do it with one diagram without luck

if you want them to look nice (and I do try to make them as artistic as possible) then I've found that the best/ only proper way to do it, is to do multiple diagrams for different groups of people.

complex/ messy one for infrastructure - showing interfaces/ IP address/ security zones/ resiliance/ physical locations/ application binaries/ OS info etc..

sequence diagrams for logic flow of applications

basic fancy ones for stake holders/ less technical ppl - crayon type of diagrams

for all the diagrams: I find using matching colours (but try if possible, to consider color blind people) and levels of grey (try not to use black) work best... try to group interfaces close together... try not to have crossing lines... symetrical as possible... lines and boxes all aligned with something

[justin_oaks → 123pie123]

I wish it were easier to make interactive diagrams where you can turn detail on and off or click on a section to zoom in and show more detail

[123pie123 → justin_oaks]

you try using layers - I know Visio has this, but everytime I've tried it was more trouble than just doing another diagram.

[Veuxdo → gtirloni]

> I wonder if there's a tool that would allow me to easily zoom into a diagram, kinda like those infinite zoomquilt animations.

Ilograph and Structurizr are zoomable. (Full disclosure: I am developing the former)

[llamaimperative → gtirloni]

Also consider checking out icepanel.io

Uses the C4 diagramming model and looks really slick exactly for capturing this type of detail