Free
System Architecture Diagram Maker
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How to make a System Architecture Diagram
Step-by-step guide on making a System Architecture Diagram
- Write a prompt describing the system architecture. A one-liner can work, but a clearer diagram usually comes from a 3–5 sentence prompt. Use this approach:
- Start by listing the main components – services, data stores, APIs, ML models, pipelines – and group them into layers (e.g. frontend, backend, data, infrastructure).
- Then describe how these components interact. Explain the runtime flows, such as request handling, background processing, or data movement.
- Mention any deployment context – e.g. containerized services, cloud regions, or availability zones – if relevant to the structure.
- Make a diagram with the completed prompt. Use your AI diagram tool to create the diagram based on your description.
- Refine the diagram with follow-up prompts (requires signing in to Eraser). For example: “Group all data components into a ‘Data Layer’” or “Add an API Gateway in front of the backend services.”
- Tweak the layout using GUI controls (requires signing in to Eraser). Adjust spacing, reroute lines, or rename components for clarity.
Tips on making a System Architecture Diagram
- Instead of writing from scratch, paste in snippets from docs, README files, Docker Compose, Kubernetes manifests, or Terraform code.
- Use an LLM to stress test your design – ask it to point out missing components, potential bottlenecks, or failure points based on your initial prompt.
- Call out grouping or layout preferences in your prompt: e.g. “Put inference and monitoring services in separate zones.”
- For complex systems, split into multiple diagrams – e.g. training pipeline vs. serving infrastructure.
Example diagrams
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FAQs
How do I get started?
Try one of our presets. Select an option under "Load a preset" and click "Generate Diagram". You can also browse our use case video library for more inspiration.
Can I edit my diagram?
Yes, the diagrams can be edited in Eraser, a docs and diagram tools built for engineering teams. Click on "Save and Edit Diagram". In Eraser, the diagrams can be edited using Eraser's diagram-as-code syntax.
Who made this and what is Eraser?
DiagramGPT was created by the team at Eraser, leveraging OpenAI's GPT-4. Eraser (eraser.io) is a whiteboard for engineering teams. You can edit your DiagramGPT generated diagrams using Eraser.
How can I share feedback?
We'd love to hear from you. Reach out to us at hello@tryeraser.com, on Twitter (@eraserlabs), or join our Slack community.
What types of diagrams can it draw?
4 types are currently available – flow charts, entity relationship diagrams, cloud architecture diagrams, and sequence diagrams.
Is there an API?
Yes, you can read our API documentation here. Due to LLM costs, the API is only available to Professional Plan teams.
Will my data be used for LLM training?
No. OpenAI nor Eraser will use your data to train AI models. Eraser may analyze your usage to improve and enhance our AI feature.
What's next?
It only gets better from here. We're working to improve accuracy and layout customization. If there's something you'd really like to see, drop us a note at hello@tryeraser.com.
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