Diagrams, Components and Relations

Revision is build around a few simple shapes. Let's have a look at each of them.

Diagrams

Most things in Revision start with a Diagram. You'll create new Diagrams for describing each level of abstraction in your architecture.

In a diagram, you'll use Components that are connected by Relations.
You can either create new Components or reuse existing components.
A Relation only exists in one single Diagram and can't be reused.

Naming your Diagrams

It's much easier to keep track of your diagrams if you have a plan around your naming. Trying to have the abstraction level and a short description of the diagram as part of the name is usually a good idea.
For example L1 - e-commerce context

Diagram links

Diagram links are the links between diagrams and the different abstraction levels that we'll create. Following the links will let us navigate up and down between the layers.

Multiple Diagram links

Both Components and Relations can have multiple links to many Diagrams.

Having multiple diagram links makes it possible to have a Relation in one diagram that visualizes many data flows that are then described in many underlying diagrams. Or for example, have a Component where we describe the functional implementation in one diagram and have infrastructural information in another.

Diagram links on Component and Relations

Diagram links can be added on Component to further describe how a Component is implemented and on Relations to describe it in detail.

Components

The boxes you'll draw in Revision are called Components. Components is used for describing systems, services, databases, users or any other artifact you're trying to describe in your diagram.

A Component can have a textual description, a Type, Attributes and Diagram links.

Types

Types are used to show what type of Component you're describing. Examples of types are database, server, application, function, user and so on. You can add your types, the ones you need for describing your architecture. A Type can also have an icon associated with it to make it even easier for the reader to quickly see what type of component you're describing.

Relations

The lines between the Component are in Revision called Relation. A relation is used for describing a data flow, a HTTP request, a database connection or any other relation you need to visualize between two components.

A Relations can have a short textual description on the actual arrow, a longer description and Diagram links.