Getting Started
Overview
What diagram-as-code is, what it produces, and where it fits in engineering workflows.
diagram-as-code converts declarative YAML into AWS architecture diagrams. The same runtime model powers PNG rendering, draw.io export, the browser editor, the visual builder, and AI integrations.
The core idea is simple: architecture diagrams should be versioned, reproducible, reviewable, and generated from source instead of manually maintained in a diagramming GUI.
Primary outputs
| Output | Format | Main use case |
|---|---|---|
| PNG diagram | image/png | Docs, PRs, architecture reviews, exported assets |
| PDF document | application/pdf | Printable or shareable document output |
| draw.io file | application/xml | Editable diagrams in diagrams.net / draw.io |
| DAC YAML | text/yaml | Versioned source of the architecture definition |
Typical use cases
- Document AWS architectures without manually dragging icons and arrows.
- Generate diagrams in CI/CD from version-controlled YAML files.
- Let AI assistants build diagrams through the MCP server.
- Use the hosted editor for fast diagram iteration with no local install.
- Use the builder to generate valid YAML when the team prefers forms over hand-written schema.