What Artifact Checks Does Archify Perform After Rendering?

Archify performs five deterministic, atomic validation checks after rendering: schema validation, layout validation, HTML/SVG validation, route validation, and label-to-route clearance.

Archify is an open-source diagramming and visualization tool from tt-a1i/archify that generates HTML and SVG artifacts from typed JSON workflow definitions. After each render, the tool enforces strict post-render validation to guarantee that only well-formed, consistent, and safe artifacts replace previously verified outputs. This validation pipeline ensures reproducible, trustworthy diagrams suitable for production showcases.

The Five Post-Render Artifact Checks

Once Archify completes rendering, it sequentially executes five atomic checks defined in the source code. All checks must pass before an artifact can be delivered—that is, atomically promoted to replace the last-known-good version.

Schema Validation

Schema validation confirms that the generated JSON intermediate representation (IR) conforms to Archify's formal schema. The schema definitions reside in archify/schemas/README.md and establish the contract for valid workflow structures, node types, edge properties, and metadata fields. Any deviation triggers a validation failure with a machine-readable diagnostic.

Layout Validation

Layout validation enforces deterministic placement rules on the rendered diagram. This check verifies:

• No overlapping nodes
• Proper grid alignment
• Consistent spacing and positioning
• Adherence to the layout algorithm's guarantees

Failures emit codes like LAYOUT_OVERLAP with suggested automatic fixes such as recomputeLayout.

HTML and SVG Validation

HTML/SVG validation parses the produced markup to catch structural errors, missing tags, illegal attributes, or malformed SVG paths. This ensures browser-safe output and prevents rendering failures in downstream consumers. The validation runs against both the HTML wrapper and embedded SVG elements.

Route Validation

Route validation verifies that every directed edge in the diagram maps to a valid, reachable route in the underlying workflow model. This prevents disconnected or phantom connections that would misrepresent the actual data or control flow.

Label-to-Route Clearance

Label-to-route clearance checks that node and edge labels correctly correspond to the routes they annotate. This final check ensures no stray labels remain unassociated and that every textual annotation accurately reflects its underlying semantic connection.

Validation Commands in Practice

Running Standalone Validation

Validate a workflow JSON file without attempting delivery:

# Execute all five checks and emit a structured JSON receipt

node archify/bin/archify.mjs validate workflow examples/agent-tool-call.workflow.json \
  --quality showcase --json

The validate command in archify/bin/archify.mjs coordinates with archify/lib/validate.mjs (or equivalent) to run the complete check suite.

Rendering with Automatic Delivery

Render and atomically replace the target file only if all checks succeed:

# Full pipeline: render → validate → deliver (or abort)

node archify/bin/archify.mjs deliver workflow examples/agent-tool-call.workflow.json \
  /tmp/workflow.html --quality showcase --open --json

Handling Validation Failures

When any post-render artifact check fails, Archify returns a structured receipt instead of delivering the artifact:

{
  "diagnostics": [
    {
      "code": "LAYOUT_OVERLAP",
      "message": "Node positions overlap – adjust layout.",
      "supportedFixes": ["recomputeLayout"]
    }
  ]
}

This receipt enables agents or developers to apply automatic fixes without losing the previously verified output.

Key Source Files

File	Role
archify/bin/archify.mjs	CLI entry point orchestrating validate and deliver commands
archify/lib/validate.mjs	Implements all five post-render validation checks
archify/schemas/README.md	Defines the JSON IR schema for schema validation
archify/SKILL.md	Formal contract describing validation workflow and artifact guarantees

According to the Archify README at line 185-186: "Atomic validation before delivery — schema, layout, HTML/SVG, route, and label-to-route clearance checks must all pass before a showcase artifact replaces the last known good output."

Summary

• Archify enforces five atomic post-render checks before any artifact can be delivered
• Schema, layout, HTML/SVG, route, and label-to-route clearance validation ensures correctness, safety, and consistency
• The validate and deliver commands in archify/bin/archify.mjs expose this pipeline to CLI users
• Failed checks return machine-readable receipts with automatic fix suggestions, preserving the previous good state

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if a post-render check fails?

Archify aborts delivery and returns a JSON receipt containing the failing diagnostic code, human-readable message, and supported automatic fixes. The previously verified artifact remains untouched, ensuring no broken output reaches production.

Can I run validation without rendering?

Yes. Use node archify/bin/archify.mjs validate to execute all five checks against an existing workflow JSON file without generating or delivering new artifacts.

Where are the validation rules defined?

The schema rules reside in archify/schemas/README.md. The implementation of layout, HTML/SVG, route, and label checks is located in archify/lib/validate.mjs (or equivalent modules), invoked by the CLI entry point at archify/bin/archify.mjs.

Does Archify support automatic fixes for validation failures?

Yes. When validation fails, the returned receipt includes supportedFixes array with actionable remedies such as recomputeLayout for overlapping nodes. These fixes can be applied programmatically or manually to resolve the issue.

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