The C4 (Context, Containers, Components, and Code) model for visualising software architecture

To Nha Notes | Oct. 20, 2023, 5:28 p.m.

 

C4 MODEL

The C4 model (https://c4model.com/) is a graphical notation and technique for representing the architecture of a system in four different levels – context, container, component, and code diagrams.

Level 1 Context diagram shows the system’s relationship with users and other systems.

Level 2 Container diagram shows the decomposition of a system. Though the C4 model relates these decompositions to containers, in serverless, these are the distributed and loosely coupled microservices.

Level 3 Component diagram decomposes further into the components or parts of a microservice or container and their relationship with other components, containers, or systems.

Level 4 Code diagram details the architectural elements that can be mapped to code. C4 model examples usually show Unified Modelling Language (UML) or Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERD); it can be tailored to suit the functional programming constructs and other notations.