C4 MODEL · DSL · DOCS · ADR
Your architecture, mapped in one model.
Define each element once in a C4 model. System Context, Container and Component views, documents and architecture decisions all draw from the same model. Rename a service and every diagram, and every view embedded in a document, updates on its own.
- DSL and visual editor in sync
- SVG / PNG export
- Turkish and English
Diagrams in one tool, documents in another, decisions in a folder. None of them knows about the others.
When a service is renamed, dozens of diagrams have to be updated by hand. Screenshots in documents go stale, and the link between a decision and the component it affects gets lost.
TODAY
- Every diagram is a separate drawing; the same box lives in ten files.
- The diagram image in the wiki is out of date after the first change.
- ADRs don't say which component they affect.
WITH ARQATLAS
- An element is defined once; views only show it.
- A diagram embedded in a document is live; it changes when the model does.
- Every decision shows up in the detail panel of the element it affects.
HOW IT WORKS
Model first, then views.
Build the model
Define Person, Software System, Container, Component, Data Store and Queue elements and the relationships between them, visually or in the DSL.
Derive the views
System Context, Container and Component views show the same elements at different zoom levels. Double-click a box to go one level down.
Explain and record
Embed live views in Markdown documents. Write decisions from the ADR template and link them to the elements they affect.
Built for an architect's daily work.
Create an accountMove between C4 levels
Double-click from System Context to Container, and from there to Component. Go back with the breadcrumb.
DSL and visual editor in sync
Write it as text, adjust it on the canvas. Both sides change the same model.
Live embedded diagrams
A view in a document is not a screenshot; it is the model itself. It updates as the model changes.
ADRs linked to elements
Decisions are numbered automatically; their status is tracked from Proposed to Superseded and listed in the element panel.
Auto-layout
A tidy layout with one command. Elements you place by hand are pinned and stay where they are.
Safe deletion
Before deleting an element, see the views, documents and ADRs that use it; nothing is deleted without your confirmation.
MODELLING AS TEXT
Every line you write is a box on the canvas.
The model can be edited as text too; changes on the canvas show up in the text and changes in the text show up on the canvas. Errors are marked with their line and column, and invalid text is never applied to the model.
customer = person "Customer"orders = softwareSystem "Order Platform" { web = container "Web App" orderService = container "Order Service" orderDb = container "Order DB" { properties { "arqatlas.subtype" "datastore" } }}customer -> web "Places orders"web -> orderService "Creates orders"orderService -> orderDb "Reads / writes"Frequently asked questions
What is the C4 model?
The C4 model is an easy-to-learn approach to diagramming software architecture across four levels: System Context, Container, Component, and Code (Simon Brown, c4model.com). ArqAtlas implements the System Context, Container, and Component levels of this model: you build an architecture model once, and these views are all derived from it. See our C4 model guide for the full picture.
How does it relate to Structurizr DSL?
ArqAtlas's text-based modelling language is a syntactic subset of Structurizr DSL, parsed by our own parser. The model, the DSL, and the visual editor stay in two-way sync: a change in one shows up in the other, and invalid text is never applied to the model. Full Structurizr import isn't part of this release.
Can I export my diagrams?
Yes. You can export views as SVG and PNG directly in your browser; there's no separate server-side render step. You can also export your entire project as a ZIP archive containing the model, its DSL equivalent, and a README, so you always have a copy independent of the tool, with no extra approval step.
Where is my model stored?
Your model is stored on ArqAtlas's servers, scoped to your workspace; data is encrypted in transit with TLS, workspaces are isolated from one another, and authorization checks always run server-side, never trusting the client. You can export your project as a ZIP at any time and keep an additional copy in your own environment.
Are Turkish and English supported?
Yes. Both the application interface and this site are available in Turkish and English; you can switch languages from the menu at any time. New pages and features are intended to ship in both languages; the build automatically checks that these pages' structure stays equal across both. A third language isn't planned for this release.
Is there a paid plan?
Right now, every ArqAtlas feature is on the free plan. A paid plan is coming later; we're not sharing a price or date today. See our pricing page for the current plan and feature list. Once the plan is ready, both this page and the pricing page will be updated with its scope and terms.
Map your system today.
Open an account and build your first model; keep views, documents and decisions in one place.