Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

SequenceDiagram.org VS C4 model

Compare SequenceDiagram.org VS C4 model and see what are their differences

SequenceDiagram.org logo SequenceDiagram.org

Clean and fast online sequence diagram tool using scripting and Drag and Drop

C4 model logo C4 model

The C4 model for visualising software architecture. Context, Containers, Components, and Code.
  • SequenceDiagram.org Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-12
  • C4 model Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-14

SequenceDiagram.org features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    SequenceDiagram.org offers a clean and straightforward interface, making it easy for users to create and edit sequence diagrams without a steep learning curve.
  • Real-Time Collaboration
    The platform allows multiple users to collaborate on a diagram in real-time, facilitating teamwork and remote collaborations.
  • No Installation Required
    As a web-based tool, SequenceDiagram.org does not require any software installation, allowing users to start creating diagrams immediately from any device with internet access.
  • Live Preview
    Users can see a live preview of their diagram as they edit, providing immediate feedback and reducing the time to iterate designs.
  • Free to Use
    Offers core functionality for free, which is accessible for users looking for a no-cost solution for creating sequence diagrams.

Possible disadvantages of SequenceDiagram.org

  • Limited Features
    Compared to more advanced diagramming tools, SequenceDiagram.org may lack advanced features and customization options that some power users might require.
  • Internet Dependency
    As an online tool, users need a stable internet connection to access and work on their diagrams, which can be a limitation in offline scenarios.
  • Basic Export Options
    The export options may be basic, lacking in various formats or high-resolution outputs that might be needed for professional presentations or publications.
  • Potential Privacy Concerns
    As with any online platform, there could be concerns about data privacy and security, especially when dealing with sensitive or confidential information.

C4 model features and specs

  • Simplicity
    The C4 model promotes a simple and clear approach for visualizing software architecture by limiting the number of diagram types and focusing on different levels of detail, making it easy to understand and use.
  • Scalability
    The C4 model scales well with systems of varying complexity, offering different levels of abstraction (Context, Container, Component, and Code) tailored to different audiences and detailed needs.
  • Clarity of Communication
    By dividing the representation of the system into different levels, the C4 model improves communication among stakeholders by providing the right level of detail to the right audience.
  • Standardization
    The model introduces a standard way to create architecture diagrams, making it easier to maintain consistency and understandability across different teams and projects.
  • Focus on Architecture
    C4 places a strong emphasis on architectural elements without becoming tied into specific tooling or technology choices, thus focusing on high-level designs rather than low-level implementation details.

Possible disadvantages of C4 model

  • Learning Curve
    While C4 provides a simplified approach, there is still a learning curve for those unfamiliar with its four different levels of abstraction, especially for newcomers to software architecture.
  • Lack of Tool Support
    Compared to older and more established diagramming approaches, there may be limited tool support for the C4 model, which can make it harder to integrate into some existing workflows.
  • Potential for Over-Simplification
    By focusing only on four levels of abstraction, there's a risk that some important details may be overlooked or oversimplified, leading to incomplete documentation for very complex systems.
  • Subjectivity in Detail
    Deciding what details to include and at which level can be subjective, potentially leading to inconsistencies in diagrams if not clearly defined and standardized across a team.
  • Not Comprehensive
    The C4 model focuses solely on structural organization and may not comprehensively address other architectural concerns such as behavior, performance, or data flow, requiring supplementary models or documentation.

SequenceDiagram.org videos

No SequenceDiagram.org videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

C4 model videos

Visualising software architecture with the C4 model - Simon Brown, Agile on the Beach 2019

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to SequenceDiagram.org and C4 model)
Diagrams
61 61%
39% 39
Flowcharts
100 100%
0% 0
Flow Charts And Diagrams
38 38%
62% 62
UML
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using SequenceDiagram.org and C4 model. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare SequenceDiagram.org and C4 model

SequenceDiagram.org Reviews

We have no reviews of SequenceDiagram.org yet.
Be the first one to post

C4 model Reviews

5 great diagramming tools for enterprise and software architects
The C4 model is derived from physical maps: You can look at a location from a high level, like a country, and see your city in the context of other cities and countries. Then you can zoom in to a city level and see major roads and the city's structure. Take another step, and you can see your district or neighborhood; finally, you might zoom down to a street view. C4 mimics...
Source: www.redhat.com

Social recommendations and mentions

SequenceDiagram.org might be a bit more popular than C4 model. We know about 32 links to it since March 2021 and only 30 links to C4 model. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

SequenceDiagram.org mentions (32)

  • Show HN: GUI for Editing Mermaid Class Diagrams
    Thanks @maho! We're hoping to keep the improvements flowing. I'm non-technical but from my perspective I thought Mermaid sequence diagram functionality really shines! Would love to fill the gap in my knowledge. What is better about https://sequencediagram.org/ than Mermaid sequence diagrams? - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Show HN: GUI for Editing Mermaid Class Diagrams
    Nice! I love how mermaid keeps getting better! For sequence-diagrams, nothing beats https://sequencediagram.org/ (I am not connected with them in any way, just a happy user). - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Ask HN: Visualize Software Architecture/Concepts
    I use draw.io as well but also find creating message sequence charts using - https://sequencediagram.org/ very useful for the teams to understand the workflows. Rather MSC is something I have made mandatory for certain complex workflows which involve multiple apps and services. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • How to draw beautiful software architecture diagrams
    I really like https://sequencediagram.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Top 6 tools for text-based UML sequence diagrams
    SequenceDiagrams.org is a web-based tool for easily designing sequence diagrams. The tool is free, not open source and maintained by donations from their community. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
View more

C4 model mentions (30)

  • Show HN: UML diagram for the DDD example in Evans' book
    For the architectural documentation like this one, the C4 Model [0] is a much better fit than UML - primarily because it's less rigid in notation and modeling components. And in terms of tooling, I find IcePanel [1] to have the right combination of flexibility and simplicity. [0] https://c4model.com/ [1] https://icepanel.io/. - Source: Hacker News / 17 days ago
  • How I think about Vaadin application architecture today
    Instead, inspired by the C4 model of visualizing software, I've explored a component based approach, where an application consists of multiple components that interact with each other. These components aren't classified into any particular layer (except, maybe the presentation layer and application layer). - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Common Mistakes in Architecture Diagrams (2020)
    I’m surprised no one has mentioned the C4 approach to diagramming yet, which is a prescriptive approach that helps to avoid most of these mistakes: https://c4model.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Step outside the Happy Path
    Start by formalizing the architecture. You don’t need heavy enterprise methodologies like TOGAF; use formats that fit the team and product. Frameworks like arc42 are suitable for complex systems, while simpler projects may only need C4 diagrams supplemented with a few additional visualizations. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • C4 Model - The Basics
    Software Architecture is all about developing systems that scale and are maintainable. Clear visualizations will help teams to communicate the design effectively. The C4 model comes in handy for this task! But what is C4, and why should you care? - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing SequenceDiagram.org and C4 model, you can also consider the following products

Swimlanes.io - Swimlanes.io is a simple free online tool for making sequence diagrams.

PlantUML - PlantUML is an open-source tool that uses simple textual descriptions to draw UML diagrams.

WebSequenceDiagrams - WebSequenceDiagrams is a web-based application that allows the user to use a proprietary language to define sequence diagram.

IcePanel - Collaborative modelling and diagramming tool based on the C4 model. Software architecture design made fun! 🧊

draw.io - Online diagramming application

Mermaid - Create diagrams and visualizations using text and code.