Modeling components in code using C4 and Structurizr

Use Structurizr to model the components of your system in code.

C4 is perhaps the most popular way to describe the component architecture of software and Caseum adopts it.

When using C4 models-as-code, Caseum uses Structurizr.

Structurizr supports using custom styles to match the Caseum color scheme:

workspace {
    model {
        ...
    }

    views {
        ...

        styles {
            element "Software System" {
                background #122A59
                color #ffffff
            }
            element "Container" {
                background #29467F
                color #ffffff
            }
            ...
        }
    }
}

Here’s an example C4 model you can paste into the Structurizr DSL to get started:

workspace {
    model {
        receptionist = person "Pet Clinic Receptionist" "Plans appointments and welcomes visitors" {
        }

        petClinic = softwareSystem "Pet Clinic" "Administers the pet clinic." {
            customersDb = container "Customers DB" "" "SQLite DB" db
            vetsDb = container "Vets DB" "" "SQLite DB" db
            appointmentsDb = container "Appointments DB" "" "SQLite DB" db

            customersSvc = container "Customers Service" "" "Spring Boot App" microservice {
                -> customersDb "Manages customers" "SQL"
            }
            vetsSvc = container "Vets Service" "" "Spring Boot App" microservice {
                -> vetsDb "Manages vets" "SQL"
            }
            appointmentsSvc = container "Appointments Service" "" "Spring Boot App" microservice {
                -> appointmentsDb "Manages appointments" "SQL"
            }

            adminUI = container "Pet Clinic Admin UI" "" "Angular.js Application" webapp {
                -> customersSvc "Manages customers" "REST"
                -> vetsSvc "Manages vets" "REST"
                -> appointmentsSvc "Manages appointments" "REST"
            }
        }

        receptionist -> adminUI "Manages pet clinic" "HTTPS"
    }

    views {
        systemContext petClinic PetClinicContext {
            include *
            autoLayout
        }

        container petClinic PetClinicContainer {
            include *
            autoLayout
        }

        styles {
            element "Software System" {
                background #122A59
                color #ffffff
            }
            element "Container" {
                background #29467F
                color #ffffff
            }
            element "microservice" {
                shape Hexagon
            }
            element "db" {
                shape Cylinder
            }
            element "Person" {
                shape person
                background #122A59
                color #ffffff
            }
        }
    }
}

Keep it accessible

Note that while the C4 website recommends using models as code, Caseum recommends using a whiteboard initially and for as long as possible, and to also consider digital diagrams before making models using code.