need strategy for reuse and modification of diagrams

Question

I'm starting to use C4 architecture diagrams. This style builds from one document to the next with a lot of repeated information.

My challenge is that I don't want two source documents with much of the same information duplicated. If I need to wordsmith something, I don't want to do it in two places. The most obvious solution that I can think of is to use the !include preprocessor command. However, since so many (most?) relationships would have to change, I don't think I could have them in the file that I'd include in both.

Is there a common strategy to ensuring as much as possible is re-used?

Thanks for your time and thoughts!

Answer 1

You could use a pattern like Diagrams as code 2.0. Model it with text-based Structurizr DSL. And with Structurizr CLI  you can create your model and export it as C4-PlantUML.

If you need a tool which supports the new v2.0.3 features too, you could use (my PR of) Structurizer dotnet-extensions.

BR Helmut

Answer 2

In the meantime I found pumla maybe it helps (I didn't test it on my own)
BR Helmut