The C4 model for visualising software architecture
The C4 model for visualising software architecture
About the Book
This book focusses on the visual communication and documentation of software architecture, based upon a collection of ideas and techniques that thousands of people across the world have found useful. The core of this is my C4 software architecture model and the software guidebook. You'll also find discussion about notation, the various uses for diagrams, the value of creating a model and tooling.
This book was formerly called "The Art of Visualising Software Architecture", and now additionally includes information about documentation.
About the Author
Bundles that include this book
Table of Contents
- 1. About the book
- 2. About the author
-
3. We have a failure to communicate
- 3.1 What happened to SSADM, RUP, UML, etc?
- 3.2 A lightweight approach
- 3.3 Draw one or more diagrams
- 3.4 Where do we start?
- 3.5 Some examples
- 3.6 Common problems
- 3.7 The hidden assumptions of diagrams
-
4. A shared vocabulary
- 4.1 Common abstractions over a common notation
- 4.2 Static structure
- 4.3 Components vs code?
- 4.4 Modules and subsystems?
- 4.5 Microservices?
- 4.6 Serverless?
- 4.7 Platforms, frameworks and libraries?
- 4.8 Create your own shared vocabulary
-
5. The C4 model
- 5.1 Hierarchical maps of your code
-
6. Level 1: System Context diagram
- 6.1 Intent
- 6.2 Structure
- 6.3 Elements
- 6.4 Interactions
- 6.5 Motivation
- 6.6 Audience
- 6.7 Required or optional?
-
7. Level 2: Container diagram
- 7.1 Intent
- 7.2 Structure
- 7.3 Elements
- 7.4 Interactions
- 7.5 Motivation
- 7.6 Audience
- 7.7 Required or optional?
-
8. Level 3: Component diagram
- 8.1 Intent
- 8.2 Structure
- 8.3 Elements
- 8.4 Interactions
- 8.5 Motivation
- 8.6 Audience
- 8.7 Required or optional?
-
9. Level 4: Code-level diagrams
- 9.1 Intent
- 9.2 Structure
- 9.3 Motivation
- 9.4 Audience
- 9.5 Required or optional?
-
10. Notation
- 10.1 Titles
- 10.2 Keys and legends
- 10.3 Elements
- 10.4 Lines
- 10.5 Layout
- 10.6 Orientation
- 10.7 Acronyms
- 10.8 Quality attributes
- 10.9 Diagram scope
- 10.10 Listen for questions
-
11. Diagrams must reflect reality
- 11.1 The model-code gap
- 11.2 Technology details on diagrams
- 11.3 Would you code it that way?
-
12. Deployment diagrams
- 12.1 Network and infrastructure diagrams
- 12.2 Deployment diagrams
- 12.3 Cloud architecture diagrams
-
13. Other diagrams
- 13.1 Architectural view models
- 13.2 System Landscape
- 13.3 User interface mockups and wireframes
- 13.4 Business process and workflow
- 13.5 Domain model
- 13.6 Runtime and behaviour
- 13.7 And more
-
14. Appendix A: Financial Risk System
- 14.1 Background
- 14.2 Functional Requirements
- 14.3 Non-functional Requirements
- Notes
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