Diagram Lifecycle
Every C4 diagram in Nodinite has a state that controls who can edit it and what the diagram represents. The lifecycle exists to protect published architecture documentation from accidental changes while giving you a safe workspace to iterate.
Understanding the lifecycle before you start editing saves time and prevents surprises.
The Three States
Diagram: The three lifecycle states for a C4 diagram. A Draft is your working copy; Active is the published version.
| State | Designer behaviour | Editing |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | Full edit mode — Toolbox visible, all editing controls active | All editing enabled |
| Active | Read-only. Yellow banner: "This diagram is Active. Create a Draft to make changes." | Editing disabled |
| Archived | Read-only. No editing allowed | Editing disabled |
Creating a New Diagram
Click Add Diagram in the Designer toolbar to create a new diagram in the same Diagram Set. The Create Diagram modal asks for:
- Name — the diagram title
- Diagram type — L0 Landscape, L1 Context, L2 Container, L3 Component, L4 Dynamic, or Deployment
- Description (optional)
New diagrams are created in Draft state and open immediately in edit mode.
Editing an Active Diagram
You cannot directly edit an Active diagram. To make changes:
- Open the Active diagram in the Designer
- Click Create Draft in the toolbar
- A Draft copy is created and opened automatically
- Make your changes in the Draft
- Click Promote to Active when the changes are ready
When you promote, the Draft becomes the new Active version. The previous Active version is retired.
Promoting is immediate and visible to all users. Ensure your diagram changes are complete and reviewed before promoting a Draft.
Promoting a Draft to Active
Click Promote to Active in the toolbar when the Draft is ready to be published.
The promotion:
- Changes the diagram state from Draft to Active
- Makes the diagram visible as the current published version
- Hides editing controls (the Toolbox disappears, editing event handlers are removed)
Cloning a Diagram
Cloning creates an independent copy of the current diagram. Two clone options are available in the toolbar:
| Button | Creates | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| Clone | An Active copy | You want a snapshot or backup of the published diagram |
| Clone as Draft | A Draft copy ready to edit | You want to experiment with a major restructure before committing |
The Clone modal asks for a name and optionally a different Diagram Set for the copy.
Cloning before Auto-arrange is strongly recommended. A pre-arranged clone preserved your manual layout, letting you compare the auto-arranged result against the original.
Editing Diagram Properties
Click Edit Properties in the Designer toolbar to modify the diagram's metadata:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | The diagram's title |
| Diagram type | L0 through Deployment |
| State | Draft / Active / Archived |
| Description | A narrative description of what the diagram represents |
| Tags | Free-text tags for search and grouping |
Changing the Diagram type in properties changes the C4 level and affects which shapes are valid and which connections the validation rules allow. Update the type only if the diagram scope genuinely changes.
Deleting a Diagram
Deleting a diagram removes it permanently. To delete:
- Open the diagram in the Designer
- Click the Delete button in the toolbar
- Confirm the deletion in the modal — this action cannot be undone
All nodes, boundaries, connectors, and link associations are removed. Repository entities (Systems, Services, Domains) are not affected — only the diagram representation is deleted.
The Diagram Set
Every diagram lives inside a Diagram Set — a named collection of related views for one architectural subject. The Scope dropdown in the toolbar shows the active Diagram Set and lets you switch scope.
When you add a new diagram, it is created inside the current Scope's Diagram Set. This keeps all zoom levels and perspectives for the same architecture grouped together.
Frequently Asked Questions
I promoted a Draft but I still see the old Active diagram
Promotion is immediate. If you see the previous version, refresh the page. The browser may be caching the old render.
Can I have multiple Drafts for the same diagram at the same time?
No. Only one Draft can exist per diagram. If a Draft already exists when you click Create Draft, you are taken to the existing Draft rather than creating another.
How do I revert a Draft to match the current Active version?
Delete the Draft and create a new one from the Active diagram. Because Delete is permanent, ensure you have no changes in the Draft worth keeping first.
The designer shows a yellow banner but no Create Draft button
You may not have permission to create Drafts. Check with your administrator that your role has the required canAdd permission for Architecture Diagrams.