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BONUS STAGE 04



In this module, you will learn how to:

  • Enrich software model with technology systems
  • Hack systemLandscape to surface technology stack
  • Leverage tag & theme to tailor outcome

⌛ Estimated time to complete: 10 min

Assume we start from a meaningful workspace.

Materialize technology as systems

Reading through given workspace, reader is exposed to some technologies, such as Blazor, Mongo DB & Xamarin. Because they deserve more than the couple of words technology field allow us to fill in. Because you should prevent yourself to assume upstream audience awareness on such topics. Because some technology stack are so broad enough, that sometimes we need more than a name or an acronym to fully grasp usage intent. For all those reaons, and probably many valid more, everyone will benefit of properly materializing them. As there is no dedicated element, one could leverage software system to do so.

✏️ Introduce dedicated software systems and implied relationships.
✏️ Feel free to use url field to feed reader with a strong entry point.
✏️ As none of them are proprietary, ensure you tag them accordingly.

📙 REVEAL THE ANSWER 
model {
+   blazor = softwareSystem "Blazor" "[...]" "#external" {
+       url https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/apps/aspnet/+web-apps/blazor
+   }
+   mongodb = softwareSystem "Mongo DB" "[...]" "#external" {
+       url https://www.mongodb.com/
+   }
+   xamarin = softwareSystem "Xamarin" "[...]" "#external" {
+       url https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/xamarin/get-started/what-is-xamarin
+   }

+   mila -> blazor "leverages" "" ""
+   mila -> mongodb "leverages" "" ""
+   mila -> xamarin "leverages" "" ""
}

                         C4.L                                                   C4.1                         

So far, we both enrich the model with valuable insights and noise existing materials with those same insights, that may not be contextually relevant...

Denoise views

You may have noticed we effectively materialize technology stack, but those new elements now noise existing views. Let's see how we could mitigate that.

✏️ Introduce a new #fwk tag and adorn newcomers accordingly.

📙 REVEAL THE ANSWER 
model {
    mila = softwareSystem "MILA" "Provides [...]" ""  {

-   blazor = softwareSystem "Blazor" "Use [...]" "#external" {
+   blazor = softwareSystem "Blazor" "Use [...]" "#fwk, #external" {
}

✏️ Leverage exclude keyword to filter existing views. See language reference for usage.

📙 REVEAL THE ANSWER 
views {	
    systemLandscape "SystemLandscape" "" {
        include *
+	    exclude element.tag==#fwk
        autoLayout
    }
    
    systemContext mila "SystemContext" "" {
        include *
+		exclude element.tag==#fwk
        autoLayout
    }
}

                         C4.L                                                   C4.1                         

We are now back to previous state, with denoised system landscape and system context. But technology stack we were claiming to materialize is still missing.

Surface technology view

✏️ Introduce a new system landscape view.
✏️ Leverage include keyword to pick elements we would like to embed. See language reference for usage.

📙 REVEAL THE ANSWER 
views {
+   systemLandscape "TechStack" "" {
+       include mila
+       include element.tag==#fwk
+       autoLayout
+	}
}

Mission partially completed. Even if we allocate a dedicated view to show case technology stack, it is not optimal. Technologies are considered as plain old software systems and will benefit from better styling.

Beautify

✏️ Style #fwk element by hiding metadata and using Component shape.

📙 REVEAL THE ANSWER 
views {
+   styles {
+       element "#fwk" {
+           shape Component
+           metadata false
+       }
+   }
}

This time, outcome is far better as hidding metadata will prevent audience for misreading. Component shape strengthens the fact we are leveraging reusable staples, and technology stacks are but this kind of beast.

Wrapup

📘 Completing this stage should lead to this final workspace.

You see how one could leverage existing tooling to experiment and open new horizons. Hands on stack outside off the box is one of the most effective way to sustain evolution. Struturizr will benefit of providing a built-in technology landscape view, aka C4.T. Technology stack dimension is a 1st class citizen in an architecture design, and deseves to be processed accordingly.

Further reading