Diagram As Code

Diagram As Code is a methodology and set of tools that allows developers to create and maintain software architecture diagrams, network diagrams, and other visual representations using code or text-based markup languages. Instead of manually drawing diagrams in graphical tools, developers write code that generates diagrams automatically, ensuring consistency, version control, and easy updates. This approach integrates diagramming into the development workflow, making it part of the codebase.

Also known as: Diagrams as Code, Infrastructure as Diagram, Architecture as Code, Diagrams from Code, Text-to-Diagram

Why learn Diagram As Code?

Developers should use Diagram As Code when they need to document system architectures, workflows, or infrastructure in a maintainable and collaborative way, especially in DevOps, cloud-native, or microservices environments. It is valuable for keeping diagrams up-to-date with code changes, enabling automated documentation generation, and facilitating team collaboration through version-controlled diagrams. Use cases include creating AWS architecture diagrams, Kubernetes deployments, or database schemas that evolve with the project.

Learning Resources

• docs: Diagrams.net (draw.io) Documentation
• tutorial: PlantUML Tutorial
• docs: Mermaid.js Documentation
• tutorial: Diagram as Code with Python - Real Python
• docs: Graphviz Official Site