Design software architecture as code in one model that drives diagrams, navigation, and validation.
In IOModel, architecture is a model defined as YAML. One model is the single source of truth: it drives the Explore diagram, navigation, workflows, and validation. You edit structure, and the visuals follow.
One model, many views
You do not draw diagrams by hand. You describe objects and their relationships once, and IOModel renders landscape, container, component, ERD, and workflow views from the same source.
What this section covers
Model Basics
Structure, objects, links, workflows, and deployment.
Diagrams
Visualize architecture as component, data, and workflow views.
Explore
Navigate the model interactively across levels.
Quality
Validate, standardize, and prevent drift.
The modeling loop
Describe structure
Define objects (systems, containers, components) and how they connect.
Visualize in Explore
Open the diagram and navigate levels to confirm the structure reads well.
Link to specs
Connect objects to specifications and artifacts for context.
Validate and refine
Resolve diagnostics, apply style conventions, and keep the model consistent.
Start small: one model with a few top-level objects. Expand depth and detail as understanding grows, rather than modeling everything up front.
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