Modeling Tools

A comprehensive list of modeling tools:

Structurizr

Structurizr is my favorite modeling tool for light-weight, high level architecture diagrams.

Diagrams are defined in a C4-model only, which is a kind of json-style notation. In C4 you’re defining persons, systems, container and components. C4 also defines four diagram types: context, container and component and code diagrams.

For example, the following C4 code:

workspace {

    model {
        user = person "Customer" 
            "A customer of my software system."
        softwareSystem = softwareSystem "MNBT" 
            "My next big thing."

        user -> softwareSystem "Uses"
    }

    views {
        systemContext softwareSystem "SystemContext" {
            include *
            autoLayout
        }

        styles {
            element "Software System" {
                background #1168bd
                color #ffffff
            }
            element "Person" {
                shape person
                background #08427b
                color #ffffff
            }
        }
    }    
}

will be rendered into the following diagram:

Link: Structurizr

Visual Paradigm Online

The next tool in my list of all time favorites is Visual Paradigm Online. They have an offline tool as well, which has a lot more features but is also complicated to use.

Link: Visual Paradigm Online

draw.io

Drawing diagrams with draw.io is fun, as it comes with a rich set of predefined icons and shapes.

Link: draw.io

Miro-Boards

Link: miro.com