What Diagram Types Does Archify Support? Complete Guide to the 5 Core Schemas

Archify supports five diagram types—architecture, workflow, sequence, dataflow, and lifecycle—each validated against dedicated JSON schemas in the archify/schemas/ directory.

Archify is an open-source diagramming engine that converts structured JSON into technical visualizations. The tt-a1i/archify repository defines exactly five valid diagram_type values, with strict schema validation enforced through individual JSON Schema files located in the archify/schemas/ path.

The Five Diagram Types Supported by Archify

The following diagram types represent the complete set of visualizations that Archify can generate. Each type requires a specific JSON structure defined in its corresponding schema file.

Architecture Diagrams

Architecture diagrams visualize system components, their boundaries, and the connections between them. According to archify/schemas/architecture.schema.json, these diagrams require components and connections arrays to define the system topology.

{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "diagram_type": "architecture",
  "meta": { "title": "My System Architecture" },
  "components": [{ "id": "svc-A", "label": "Service A" }],
  "connections": [{ "from": "svc-A", "to": "svc-B" }]
}

Workflow Diagrams

Workflow diagrams depict lanes, phases, groups, and the main execution path of a process. The schema in archify/schemas/workflow.schema.json supports complex business process modeling with swimlane visualization.

{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "diagram_type": "workflow",
  "meta": { "title": "Order Fulfilment Workflow" },
  "lanes": ["User", "Backend", "Payments"],
  "phases": ["Receive", "Process", "Ship"],
  "nodes": [{ "id": "order", "label": "Create Order" }],
  "edges": [{ "from": "order", "to": "payment" }]
}

Sequence Diagrams

Sequence diagrams visualize participants, message exchanges, and activations following the classic UML sequence diagram pattern. The archify/schemas/sequence.schema.json file defines structures for participants and messages arrays.

{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "diagram_type": "sequence",
  "meta": { "title": "Login Sequence" },
  "participants": ["Client", "Auth Service", "Database"],
  "messages": [
    { "from": "Client", "to": "Auth Service", "label": "login()" },
    { "from": "Auth Service", "to": "Database", "label": "SELECT" }
  ]
}

Dataflow Diagrams

Dataflow diagrams illustrate stages, nodes, and the flow of data between them, commonly used for ETL processes and data pipeline documentation. The schema is defined in archify/schemas/dataflow.schema.json.

{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "diagram_type": "dataflow",
  "meta": { "title": "ETL Data Flow" },
  "stages": ["Extract", "Transform", "Load"],
  "nodes": [{ "id": "src", "label": "Source DB" }],
  "flows": [{ "from": "src", "to": "transform" }]
}

Lifecycle Diagrams

Lifecycle diagrams represent lanes, states, and transitions of a lifecycle model, ideal for feature development lifecycles or state machines. The archify/schemas/lifecycle.schema.json file validates states and transitions properties.

{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "diagram_type": "lifecycle",
  "meta": { "title": "Feature Lifecycle" },
  "lanes": ["Dev", "QA", "Prod"],
  "states": ["Proposed", "Implemented", "Released"],
  "transitions": [{ "from": "Proposed", "to": "Implemented" }]
}

Schema Validation and Structure

Each diagram type supported by Archify enforces strict validation through JSON Schema files stored in the archify/schemas/ directory. The archify/schemas/README.md file provides the authoritative mapping of diagram_type values to their required fields and validation rules.

All JSON inputs must include:

1. schema_version: Currently set to 1 for all diagram types
2. diagram_type: One of the five supported type identifiers
3. meta: Metadata object containing at minimum a title field

Rendering Diagrams via CLI

To generate visualizations, save your JSON following one of the five schemas and execute the Archify CLI. The tool automatically detects the diagram type from the JSON and applies the appropriate rendering rules.

archify render my-diagram.architecture.json

Summary

• Archify supports five diagram types: architecture, workflow, sequence, dataflow, and lifecycle.
• Each type has a dedicated schema: Located in archify/schemas/[type].schema.json with strict validation rules.
• JSON structure varies by type: Architecture uses components and connections, while sequence uses participants and messages.
• Schema documentation: The complete list of allowed values and fields is documented in archify/schemas/README.md.
• CLI rendering: Use archify render with a JSON file following any of the five supported schemas.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I specify which diagram type to use in Archify?

Set the diagram_type field in your JSON input to one of the five supported values: architecture, workflow, sequence, dataflow, or lifecycle. This value must match the corresponding schema file in archify/schemas/ for validation to pass.

Where are the JSON schema definitions located?

According to the tt-a1i/archify source code, schema definitions reside in the archify/schemas/ directory, with individual files like architecture.schema.json and sequence.schema.json. The README.md file in that directory provides a complete mapping of diagram types to their required fields.

Can I extend Archify with custom diagram types?

The current implementation supports only the five built-in schemas defined in the repository. Each diagram type enforces strict validation rules, and the codebase does not expose extension points for custom schemas without modifying the core validation logic.

Which diagram type should I use for microservices communication?

Use the sequence diagram type to visualize synchronous request-response patterns between microservices, or choose architecture for static component boundaries and connection topology. The sequence schema in archify/schemas/sequence.schema.json specifically supports participants and message exchanges ideal for API interactions.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}